Ocean Treasures
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: A pampered girl who's dedicated her life to studying with little time for fun. An orphan who struggles to keep up with her adoptive sisters. Peril brought them together; will it be what tears them apart? [Mermaid AU]
1. Encounter

**Ahhh finally! I wrote this about 4 months ago and the wait to post it has been killing me, but it's finally come! My Mermaid AU fic! It's Monochrome because I first saw art for a Mermaid AU by dashingicecream, who drew Blake and Weiss as mermaids, so this is the main pair of the story.** **Dash's fanart is on her blog at dashingicecream,tumblr,com/post** **/105658854222**

 **Thank you to gophersaurus (thank you so much!) and _the_ brilliant dashingicecream herself! **

**A/N: As you'll soon discover, Faunus exist in this world, too~**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Ocean Treasures

Chapter 1. Encounter

Separating two formidable continents of land was a vast expanse of ocean.

The water was always bluer than the sky, clean despite the waste and carelessness of humankind. Many believed that the reasons for maintaining such pristine waters was by no means because of humans, but a different species.

Mer-people were rare to see, and rarer still to capture or claim. A man saw a mer-person about as often as he unintentionally witnessed a great white shark jump clean out of the water.

And a man _caught_ a mer-person about as often as he caught a humpback whale on a fishing boat.

The species rarely shared encounters, though they all shared the little bedtime stories of star-crossed romances between a human and a mer-person.

Some believed that perhaps such a story was true at one point in time or another.

After all, such a tale was what led many to believe how Faunus joined the ocean many decades ago.

There were land-walking Faunus just as there were humans, but a fraction of mermaids also bore extra ears or horns.

The secrets of the ocean were as numerous as its fish and as deep as its darkest, untouched chasms. Sometimes, if one listened with their eyes closed, they could hear a mer-person, drifting on the rolling waves, singing.

That was what a certain mermaid always loved to do, but rarely got the chance to.

Her name was Weiss Schnee, and she was a beauty, even amongst mermaids. Her shells were pure white, as impeccable and untainted as any pearl of the depths, her eyes bluer than any ocean wave or fraction of the summer sky visible from below the surface.

Her hair was pure white, even in the ever-present dampness of being underwater, and whenever the sunlight could reach down far enough to catch in it, the result was almost ethereal.

But most breathtaking of all about her was her tail, made of flawless layers of light blue scales that shimmered even without light. Each individual scale was smooth and pleasant to the touch, though few persons other than Weiss herself ever had such a pleasure.

The membranes at the end of her tail between the flippers were silver, akin to the tiara of gems and pearls she adorned in her long, flowing hair at the back of her head.

She was the epitome of beauty and every mer-person within the vast Coral Reef they called home knew it.

However, Weiss had always regretted the single marring on her white skin, a pink scar that ran along her left eye, a wound she'd sustained as a child from a sharp fishing hook.

And it hadn't been an unsuccessful hook, either.

Every day, that scar was a constant reminder of one of the mer-folks' most horrid days in their history.

Weiss' own mother had been hooked by fisherman, and her father's efforts to hold onto her hand and drag her free had been in vain against the half dozen human men on board the ship above-water.

They'd managed to take her, screaming and crying as she'd reached for her husband and her young daughters, and even minutes after she'd been pulled up, they could still hear her screams...

Weiss' scar would be a constant reminder - both for Weiss herself and for every member of her species - a reminder that humankind was a vicious, intrusive species with only their own benefits and interests in mind. They defiled the ocean so many other species called home on a daily basis, without a care in the world.

Weiss had heard stories of the whales and fish that had gone entirely extinct because of Man, of the sheer millions of sea lives that were lost due to a single, careless oil spill, of the senseless seasonal harpooning of porpoises and whales, the poaching of sharks and mollusks and crabs, all of which were dwindling in numbers by the minute.

For all of her outer beauty, Weiss matched it on the inside with a bitter hatred of humanity.

And her father hated them a thousand times more.

Every morning when she rose from her bed of sea grass within her section of the Great Coral Reef, she would find him among the interlocked crevices and tunnels. And even when he smiled at her and wished her a good morning, she couldn't help but see the sadness in his grey eyes when he looked upon her face.

Or perhaps she was imposing such things herself, but either way, it never failed to sting Weiss' heart more painfully than any manta ray's tail ever could.

Her loathing for humans was loosely linked with fear of them, though more strongly tied down by anger.

Which was why Weiss chose to spend her days sticking close to the Great Coral Reef.

It was as large as any human city on land, only undoubtedly cleaner and positively untouchable by their grimy, greedy hands.

It was located several leagues below the surface, just far enough to be unnoticeable at the depth a human could dive at, but just high up enough to be able to catch the sunlight.

The Great Coral was in fact composed of various coral reefs that had been grown together by the mer-folk themselves in ancient times.

There was nothing achromatic about it, nothing dull or unappealing to the eye. The colors alone were astounding, ranging from ashen-white to seaweed-green, then to parrotfish-red and dolphin-blue.

But even more breathtaking was the intricate network with which each coral was connected to another, and where one cut off.

Numerous families of mer-people resided within certain parts of certain corals. Small, carved holes and tunnels provided entryways into separate "rooms" of sorts, differentiating where the children and parents slept, or where the family came together to eat supper.

The main purpose of the coral homes was just that – a place to sleep safely and comfortably at night.

However, there were other areas of the coral closer to the open water where young mer-children often swam and played together under the watchful eyes of parents.

Due to the mer-persons' presences, life around the Great Coral flourished. Thousands of diverse fish species only added to the impressive display of colors the corals already provided – flashes of pink, yellow, orange, and blue.

More often than not, dolphins were common visitors, and perhaps even neighbors. There was a bond between dolphins and mer-folk that had seemed to exist since the beginning of time itself.

Because of this, sharks rarely posed a threat to the Great Coral or any of its inhabitants. Of course, there were horror stories of straying mer-people who had never come home because of ferocious sharks. But even so, the frequency with which sharks claimed the life of a mer-person was about as often as Mankind did, perhaps once or twice in a lifetime.

Losing a loved one to a shark was only second-worst to losing them to humanity.

Weiss and her family had been the first ones in decades to suffer such a terrible tragedy.

At night, when she curled up on her bed of soft sea grasses, Weiss imagined she could still hear her mother singing to her and her sister sometimes, her voice brought to them on the distant, overhead whispers of the combers.

Weiss knew she would never see her mother again, but finding solace in what remained was essential if she was determined to move forward.

Ever since that fateful day, an unsurmountable rift had formed between Weiss and her sister.

Winter hadn't once looked her in the eyes in over a decade now, though she did still talk to Weiss on a daily basis, laugh with her, swim with her...

But she refused to look at that scar, and Weiss couldn't blame her.

. . .

Weiss awoke to a sunny morning, tiny bubbles floating up from her lips as she yawned. Rays of white light were filtering down from the surface to grace her bed of sea grass. She relished the faint warmth as she stretched out her tail and arms, working out the kinks in her muscles that had formed in the night.

It wasn't uncommon for small fish to find their way into a mer-person's home, and Weiss woke to find some in her room on a near-daily basis. She presently watched a few flitting about for a moment before rousing herself.

A wave of her tail elevated her, leaving her hovering in the water now as her eyes traveled around her room. Small crevices in the coral made for shelves of sorts, which was where she reached now for a bar of naturally-formed sea soap. She took care to polish every single one of her scales with it, a meticulous and painstaking process not every mer-person had the patience to do every day.

But with her overprotective father who rarely permitted her to leave the Reef, Weiss didn't have much else to do with her mornings.

It took some time, but eventually she finished, leaving a lean, sleek collection of scales behind. They caught on the sunlight and sparkled, and Weiss couldn't help but smile; one of the few things that brought her joy was seeing the success of her labors.

She put the soap aside, using the residual layer on her hands to rub over her bare shoulders, arms, and stomach, and then running her fingers through her loose hair to clean it.

She next swam over to her mirror, composed of a reflective mesh of sorts, one of many examples of human waste that the mer-people had found purpose in. She checked her appearance, adjusting her tiara and pearl earrings.

Around her neck sat a matching pearl necklace, tied together with a string from an abandoned fishing net. It was a trinket that ensured the pearl's security, but then again, Weiss didn't often partaken in many strenuous activities around the Reef.

Even so, the jewelry had belonged to her late mother, and Weiss treasured it above all else in the world.

Once she had finished preparing herself and was satisfied with the gleam of her skin and scales, Weiss swam down one of the tunnels carved into the coral. It led her to the small living area of their home, decorated with sea flowers and various collections of shells. A few fish swam here and there as well, eventually finding their way back into the tunnels and the ocean beyond.

Her father was already there, and Weiss greeted him with a smile, one he managed to reflect.

Meals for mer-people typically consisted of various harvested underwater fruits, and her father had just returned from his daily trip to collect some. He laid out a large scallop shell full of different sea-fruit, some big and some small, and this would serve their entire family for the next few days.

No one knew for certain how it had come to be that mankind's seeds had been bred to grow underwater and produce such pleasant results.

Some legends stated that a brave group of mer-folk had stolen many seeds straight off of men's boats and brought them down to the sand beds at the bottom of the ocean where sunlight still reached. After much toiling and trials, they had bred the seeds and resulting fruits to be water-resistant, and delightfully scrumptious.

There existed miles of underwater gardens where such fruits were harvested on a daily basis by the mer-people. Typically, the mermen and women made the journey in groups, simply because the gardens were located a few miles away from the Reef, and traveling in a pod was just a means of precaution.

The taste of the sea-fruits was only pleasant to the pallets of mer-people, so there was no competition for the food with other sea life.

Weiss had been chewing on her second red fruit when Winter arrived. Weiss greeted her, and Winter replied with a quick smile, though it had been over a decade since she'd last looked Weiss in the eye.

Weiss had forgotten the color of Winter's gaze long ago.

It had only been within recent years when Winter had started flashing her smiles and glances again, though. Weiss was hopeful that her younger sister was finally beginning to heal.

The family of three curled on their tails and ate together until they were full. Winter told her father she had plans to play in the seaweed fields with friends today, and he wished her well as she swam off. He looked to Weiss next, a smile present above his small beard.

"And what plans do you have for the day, my dear?"

Weiss wasn't a mermaid who typically socialized much with others. She tended to keep to herself, often going to the Reef's library to study scrolls of history, though she did go for the occasional swim along the Great Coral, visiting nearby neighborhoods.

"I think I'll go to the library today," she decided. She knew he loved to hear of her interest in learning, and her father nodded approvingly.

"Very well. Just make sure you're home by sunset. And mind the tides."

"I will, Daddy."

She swam up to him to kiss his cheek, and he briefly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. When he let her go, Weiss swam for the tunnel that led to an opening and the boundless ocean beyond.

It was quiet inside the coral, though as Weiss reached the opening, she could already hear the sounds of the lively sea.

The sounds of the rolling waves were much easier to distinguish out in the open water, and there was a constant motion about her. Fish swarmed the corals, some salvaging for food, and others seeking shelter. Currents swept and pulled in all directions, and Weiss selected a steady one that led her along the edge of the Great Coral.

There were dozens of other mer-folk already out and about. Few adorned Faunus ears, as the mer-Faunus were more common several districts away.

Weiss observed the children as they played, chasing one another in games of tag. They raced the fish, played hide-and-seek among the corals, and tossed balls of compacted seaweed between one another, or sometimes hit it with their tails.

A few of the mer-folk close to Weiss' age called greetings to her, though they could all assume she'd deny them if they asked her to join them for the day. Weiss was known to be a loner who preferred the company of sea scrolls rather than other mer-folk.

But Weiss had been planning this day for a while now in her mind. She'd told her father she'd be going to the library to study, but for once, Weiss had no intention of doing so.

It had been a couple of years since she had drifted along the length of the Great Coral Reef, as it was a massive structure. There were five districts to either side of where she lived in the Middle District, five to the East and five to the West.

She knew it was possible to start from the Middle District, travel into all the neighboring districts off to one side of the Reef, and make it home before sunset; if she hurried, her father would be none the wiser as to her whereabouts that day.

Weiss always studied alone, but rarely ever swam as such. But today was a clear, sunny day, and she wanted some time to herself.

She stuck to the water current she had initially selected, making sure to keep close to the Reef. Traveling along any part of it was always an unforgettable experience. Kaleidoscopes of colors exploded before her with every push of her tail, fish darting between anemones and various plants.

The mer-folk were known for playing together, and there wasn't a moment so far when Weiss hadn't been within range of a group of them.

She continued down the Reef, able to distinguish when one neighborhood began and another ended.

But there was no sense of unease here or anywhere along the Reef; mer-folk weren't fond of disputes or grudges, especially amongst their own kind, Faunus or not. Traveling to a foreign district of the Reef held no dangers, which was different for humans or Faunus who traveled alone to foreign towns on land.

Weiss noticed when she started seeing more mer-Faunus; she'd read that the Faunus on land sometimes sported mammal-like tails, but beneath the waves, their tails all resembled those of other mer-people. Faunus underwater simply had mammal-like ears or horns atop their heads, a potentially-humorous image. But unlike their cousins on the shore, the mer-people underwater never discriminated against mer-Faunus.

The mer-Faunus tended to live on the outer districts of the Reef, while mer-people like Weiss lived toward the middle. But it was a settlement made by choice and preference rather than some petty feud of social status.

Weiss floated for hours along the Reef, occasionally pausing for rest by means of settling her stomach amongst the corals, curling her tail beneath her as she watched the little fish and eels swim about.

There were always other mer-people or Faunus present, and it was a comforting feeling to be able to sense that she was welcome here or anywhere.

A group of local mer-Faunus of this section of the Reef where she was currently resting swam up to her, politely inquiring where she was from.

"From the Middle District," Weiss informed them. "I'm simply traveling along the Reef today for recreational purposes."

Like dolphins, recreation was something mer-people understood best of all.

The mer-Faunus offered her a few fruits to fuel her energy, and Weiss thanked them humbly as she accepted. She ate for a few minutes, watching the mix of mer-people and Faunus playing together here, performing the same tasks as they did in her own neighborhood.

Some cleaned grime and harmful fungi from off the coral, not unlike the jobs performed by the fish that cleaned debris away. Mer-folk always ensured the health of the coral above their own wellbeing, because the coral sustained their people and many other species.

When Weiss felt rejuvenated enough to continue on her way, many of the mer-Faunus wished her well, and she waved back to them.

She selected her current again, swimming at a leisurely pace. When she looked up to the surface miles above, past the motion of the waves overhead, she could tell it was only midday, and she could easily make it home before sunset.

She continued onward along the Reef, rolling herself in little twirls as she went, enjoying the cool currents along her skin.

Toward the ends of the Reef, the waters became a little murkier, simply because fewer mer-folk lived here and were able to clean it.

A passing pod of dolphins ensured that most of the ones who _did_ took off in front of Weiss.

One shout of "dolphins!" had every mer-folk who was able darting across the open waters to join the energetic group of mammals.

Weiss watched them from afar as the two species mingled together like groups of old friends. They could understand one another, if not by sound than through body language. She watched them all swirling and swimming before racing off together in the opposite direction.

Races between dolphins and mer-folk were the most common form of interaction and activities they partook in together. The mer-folk would match the animals for as long as possible before exhaustion demanded they return back to the Reef together and say their farewells to the dolphins.

Weiss observed as the large group took off now, tails swishing and flapping as each creature tried to be faster than the one beside it.

Weiss longed to join them, but she was too far from home now; if she got separated from the other mer-people, she could have trouble finding her way back to the Reef.

But she did feel she'd traveled far enough now, and that it was time to start heading back.

She tilted her tail and angled herself slightly upward to turn herself around.

As she did so, she found herself in a particularly strong swath of sunlight, warm and inviting in contrast to the darker waters here. She chose to indulge herself and swam upward a little ways, until her entire body and tail were encompassed in warmth.

Mer-people gained energy from sunlight - so long as it went through water first. Too much direct sunlight could be deadly.

After the journey she'd just made, Weiss wasn't about to refuse some help to boost her energy and get started on the way home, so she opted to bask in the warm water.

For a moment, she closed her eyes and savored the light, letting her tail take her a few feet higher.

It was when she felt a tug when her eyes snapped open instantly.

There was something on her tail.

With a short cry, she jolted, her body jerking as she tried to get away from whatever had touched her.

But she only found herself much worse off now.

Bits of wiring tangled around her tail, getting hooked beneath some of her scales.

It was a net.

Strings somehow coiled around her neck and shoulders, but as she moved her hands to try and free herself, her tail only became more enmeshed.

Panic flared through her as she tried desperately to wriggle free, but her struggle only served to trap her further. Her silken hair was a knotted mess already, her polished scales beginning to tear off from the pressure of the wire.

Weiss gasped for breath, her mind flashing with images of her mother being dragged away to the surface to meet her fate.

Bubbles rose up all around her, evidence of her predicament.

Weiss quickly froze, heart pounding wildly as she panted for breath, trying to let the oxygenized water fill her lungs and calm her.

Past the seizing terror, she managed to _think_ , to remember what she'd read and what she'd been taught to do if something like this ever happened. She'd already failed to do two of those things; refrain from struggling and remain calm.

She tried to slow her breathing now, making certain not to move a muscle.

She glanced up past the murky waters, and was able to make out a large, dark shape hovering on the water's surface above her. This net was attached to a boat, which meant she'd be pulled up just like her mother if she didn't free herself somehow.

There was danger of being caught in abandoned nets as well; she'd seen the wreckage for herself – turtles, sharks, dolphins and fish snared within the wires until they starved to death.

But there was immensely more danger of being caught in a live net, one that was actively in-use.

Weiss considered herself lucky that her previous thrashing about hadn't alerted the fishermen to their net just yet, and she looked around quickly for her fellows.

She was only to call out for help or make noise if she was certain someone was nearby to hear her, otherwise the sounds might attract unwanted attention.

But all of the mer-folk had swam off with the pod of dolphins not too long ago.

Swims with dolphins could take up to three hours sometimes. That was plenty of time for Weiss to be hauled up onto the fishermen's boat, or worse-

She'd heard of that too, the fate of fish trapped in nets that weren't pulled up quickly enough. The disturbed waters of the struggling creatures often alerted sharks, and the trapped fish made easy meals for them.

And with the dolphins and mer-folk gone now, there'd be no one to help Weiss if such a predator should come along.

She did her best to slip her arms free, but every sway of motion felt too great, too dangerously telling that there was something caught in the net. She managed to free one of her hands, but there was no hope of untangling her tail without making a fuss.

In addition to that, her hair was tangled in the wires as well, and several of the ropes had caught around her throat. One wrong move and she'd strangle herself even before the fishermen could pull her up.

Tears welled up behind her eyes and slipped down her cheeks, remaining only for a few seconds before being absorbed into the ocean.

It was said that the salt of the ocean was made of mer-folks' tears.

Weiss shuddered to think that a bit of salt might soon be all that was left of her presence here.

Fear settled in when she realized there was nothing more she could do but wait.

* * *

The districts of the Great Coral Reef were divided into eleven sections.

There was a Middle District, and then five branching out to either side from there.

Blake lived in the Fifth East District, the one at the very end of the Reef on the eastern side. It took about a day to swim to the Middle District, and an added night to reach the West End of the Reef at the Fifth West District - all in all, a journey of two days and nights from one end to the other and back again.

Blake had made the trip once, albeit reluctantly.

She'd made friends with a pair of sisters in her younger years, and they each seemed to have limitless amounts of energy.

The younger of the two was Ruby, who had short, wispy hair the color of a dark nurse shark's skin, tinted with red. Her shells were pearly pink, as was the end of her tail, but her scales were vibrant red, eyes silver like the moonlight through the water.

Her older sister was Yang, who wore pale yellow shells in contrast to the gorgeous, deep golden color of her scales. Her hair was a small ocean of its own, long and flowing like liquid sunlight, her eyes purple like so many little fish.

Blake's shells were flint-black, and her eyes a pleasant golden color, her wavy hair and Faunus ears onyx. But she'd never liked her scales; they were a dull greyish color, tinted with faint purples. But no matter how often she polished them, they never revealed some true, hidden color like she'd hoped they might.

Regardless of that, Ruby and Yang had always loved her like a third sister.

And Blake loved them too, like the siblings she'd never had.

Her parents had died of illness when she was very young, and Ruby and Yang's parents had taken Blake in as their own. They'd grown attached to each other instantly and had been inseparable ever since.

Blake was always accompanying them on their little adventures, be it hunting for shells with Ruby or more perilous things with Yang. The blonde was known for punching sharks in the nose, a valiant skill that had saved many mer-folk on occasion, but had once almost cost her a hand.

The two of them could be a bit much to handle sometimes, but Blake loved them dearly, hence why she always tagged along.

This morning had been no different, and Blake had swam down with them to one of the sand beds at the foot of the Reef to watch the crabs scuttle along the bottom.

Blake had been enjoying herself, resting on a jutting piece of the coral beside Yang as they watched Ruby flip over crabs that had unbalanced themselves.

Blake had once said to Ruby long ago, "Thousands of them fall over and then get eaten by predators when they're prone and helpless. Why are you even bothering to flip them back over? It won't make a difference."

Ruby had then turned over another small crab to allow it to scuttle away out of harm's way.

"It made a difference to _that_ one," she'd said.

And that was how Blake had discovered just how beautiful her sisters' souls were.

Presently, she and Yang waited lazily by as Ruby darted about to flip over the little crabs in distress. Blake had been about to doze off under the warm sunlight shining down from above.

But suddenly, Blake's Faunus ears twitched at the sound of distant movement beneath the water, and Yang perked up as well.

"Dolphins!" she cried.

Her little sister immediately darted up from the sand bed.

"Really?! Where, where?! Let's go race!" Ruby grabbed one of Blake's wrists with one hand and Yang's with the other, pulling them both up.

Blake could distinguish the sounds the dolphin pod was making, but there was something else she couldn't quite place, something that didn't sound quite right.

She gently shook off Ruby's grip, and the sisters turned back to her with curious eyes.

"Blake?" Yang tilted her head. "What's up?"

"We gotta hurry!" Ruby said, swishing her tail. "We don't wanna miss the dolphins!"

Blake's ears flicked again.

"You two go ahead. I'm gonna sit this race out."

Ruby gasped dramatically.

"Sit out? A race with dolphins?!"

"Easy, sis," Yang chuckled, ruffling Ruby's hair. "We did kinda wake her up super early this morning. Let her rest. I'll be with ya chasing those dolphins' tails, though!"

Ruby grinned up at her.

"I'll beat'cha!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah, it is!"

They laughed together, and Blake smiled fondly.

"Be safe, you two."

"We will!" Ruby promised. "Just meet us back home!"

"Got it."

Blake waved them off, just as she caught sight of the sleek shapes of dolphins darting off in the distance. Ruby and Yang hurried after them, as did many other mer-people and Faunus. The only ones who didn't follow were the young and the old, the sick or the new parents with infants, or those who were too tired to join in.

But Blake had different reasons.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on her ears.

The movements of the water made by the dolphins and other mer-folk were consistent, steady splashes, clicks, and laughs.

But there was a different noise coming from somewhere, sounding in sudden short-lived bursts before dying down again.

Blake could tell it was far bigger than a fish, probably about the size of a small dolphin, and judging by the way the thrashing was growing weaker, it was trapped.

Initially, Blake hadn't been the type of mermaid to go out of her way to save a dying creature. But after living with Ruby and Yang for the past twelve years, it was impossible to ignore the urge to at least try to help.

Blake followed her ears, beating her tail against the water to try and follow the sounds.

She was left puzzled for a few moments, pausing as she hovered, trying to listen.

The thrashing had stopped.

She opened her eyes as a sense of urgency overcame her, and she let instinct take over.

She swam in whichever direction felt right, ears swiveling to catch anything that might help guide her.

Minutes passed, and still nothing.

Blake's shoulders slumped as she eventually turned away, heading back for the Reef.

But then, the sunlight shifted strangely.

She turned around once more, directing her gaze upward toward the surface.

About a mile up from where she was, she caught sight of something drifting in the water, tangled in a net.

Blake quickly propelled herself upward, and with each wave of her tail, her heart pounded harder.

She could see now that it wasn't a dolphin.

It was another mermaid.

"Hold on! Don't move!" Blake called up to her.

She wasn't sure how long the girl had been there or if she was even still alive, but Blake absolutely refused to let the humans take one of their own – not if she could help it.

She reached the mesh of wiry net and came to a stop a few feet away, ensuring she herself wouldn't get snared.

Blake couldn't help but notice the stunning beauty of the other mermaid. Her scales were a gorgeous light blue, her shells a perfect white, her hair just as lovely, though tangled and knotted. Her skin was pale white, and the jewelry she wore suggested she lived near the middle of the Reef where pearls were more common.

But her eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving.

Blake swallowed, swimming an inch closer.

"H-Hey... Can you hear me?"

She'd never seen such a horrible sight before in all her life. She'd heard the stories, but to see such a thing for herself...

She felt sick.

Blake reached out tentatively to touch the girl's shoulder, intending to feel her neck for a pulse.

Upon the contact, the white-haired mermaid jolted, a gasp flying from her mouth in bubbles as her scared blue eyes flew open.

Blake jerked back for an instant, both surprised and relieved the girl was still alive, but knowing of the dangers she still faced.

"Don't move, don't move!" she cried. "Hold still! I'll get you out, I promise!"

The other mermaid met her eyes, and Blake saw the extreme exhaustion in those brilliant pools of blue. Judging by the state this girl was in, she must've been trapped for at least an hour now.

"Gods..." Blake murmured. "How awful... But I-I'll get you out, okay? Promise." She reached for one of the girl's hands and linked their pinky fingers together, a little gesture Ruby had taught her.

The white-haired mermaid wheezed a feeble breath, fighting to keep her eyes open.

Blake set to work quickly, moving back a pace to assess where the worst of the issue was. The girl's tail and hair were badly snared by the net, and it was nothing short of a miracle that she hadn't been hauled up to the surface yet.

But surely it wouldn't be much longer now.

Even more startling than her enmeshed tail were the wiry strings that had found their way around her throat. She must've been slowly suffocating for nearly an hour now.

Blake went for those first, curling her fingers around the strings. There were four around the girl's neck, each one pressing tighter to her white skin than the last.

"Don't move," Blake told her. "Just relax. Breathe."

She hooked her nails beneath the first of the strings, starting to saw away at it. She moved as quickly as she could; had she found this girl half an hour ago, Blake might've been able to work more efficiently, but time wasn't on her side anymore.

The first string snapped, and Blake sighed in relief.

But horror quickly filled her chest when she realized the loss of the first string had only tightened the remaining ones.

The white-haired mermaid gasped painfully, whimpering as her back arched. Blake grabbed her shoulder in an effort to still her.

"No, no! Don't move!" she hissed. "I'm sorry, I-I'm sorry."

The only way to do this would be to cut all three of the strings at once. She couldn't do that with her nails alone.

Blake's ears flattened, but she had no other options.

"Listen," she said seeking the girl's blue eyes. They were ridden with fear and pain, and Blake's heart went out to her. "I hate to do this, but I've gotta get something to help cut this. I'll be as fast as I can, alright? Just try not to move. Take deep breaths, okay?"

The other girl blinked, fear overriding her gaze at the thought of being left alone. Blake wrapped their pinkies together once again.

"I'll save you. I promise," she murmured.

She refused to make a promise she couldn't keep, and she was determined to keep this one.

The white-haired girl nodded once.

Blake swam back a pace, but just as she turned to swim off, she heard a meek voice from behind her.

"Weiss..." the white-haired mermaid rasped.

Blake's keen ears picked up on the sound, and she turned to look back over her shoulder briefly.

"Weiss... that's your name?" she asked. "It's lovely. I'm Blake, and I promise to save you."

With that, she turned away and took off at top speed, propelling herself downward faster than she'd ever swam before in all her life. All of those races with dolphins and journeys with Ruby and Yang were being put to use now in these crucial seconds as she darted back down to the sand beds where she'd been with her adoptive sisters all morning.

Blake dove down, eyes scouring frantically for what she sought. There were no discarded crab claws that were big enough to be effective against the net, but she kept searching.

Before long, she found a large shell and scooped it up out of the sand. She then hurled it with all of her might against the coral reef, shattering it into several large pieces with rigid ends. Blake grabbed the two biggest ones before speeding away back through the water, cutting through the currents like a swordfish.

She was relieved to find Weiss was still there, albeit she didn't seem to be in any better condition. Blake came to a stop before her and caught her breath.

"I'm here," she murmured.

Weiss opened her eyes slowly, and there was relief there, but it was concealed by creeping agony.

Blake put both shards of the shell in one hand, reaching forward with her free one to ease her fingers beneath the three remaining ropes around Weiss' neck. It wasn't easy, as the wires were pressed tightly against her throat, making short work of cutting off her breath.

Blake wiggled her fingers beneath them, feeling the feeble pulse against her skin as she tugged the ropes away from Weiss as much as she could.

"Don't move," she repeated. "I've got you. Just breathe."

She slipped one of the shell shards underneath the ropes alongside her fingers, needing to drop the other shard as she started working. She turned the sharpened edge against the net and began sawing.

But it was a risky situation; if she worked too slowly, she risked Weiss suffocating, or the net pulling her up. If she worked too quickly, she risked accidentally cutting Weiss with the shell, and just a drop of blood in these waters would attract sharks within minutes.

The waves of fear and distress pulsing off of Weiss were probably already serving to do the latter anyway, though.

So Blake worked quickly, tilting Weiss' chin back and away from the shell as she cut at the ropes. One of them snapped, and the white-haired girl gasped again, her eyes shutting in pain as the remaining ones tightened.

"Hold on," Blake willed her. "Just hold on..."

The second wire snapped, and she cut harder for the last one.

But Blake's hand slipped, and the shell cut a line up Weiss' throat. Red instantly filled the water as the girl cried out.

"No!" Blake yelped. "No, no, no... H-Hold on! Just a bit further..."

She poured her strength into a few more tugs, and at last the final wire around Weiss' throat snapped. Weiss gasped loudly, whimpering thankfully to Blake as she refilled her aching lungs at long last.

But the absence of the net at her neck was hardly a relief now that there was a long cut along the underside of her throat. Blake pressed her palm to it, muttering to herself as her eyes flashed about. The scent of blood was strong even for her, and she knew sharks would be swarming soon.

She might've just been prolonging Weiss' suffering.

Her hair and tail were still trapped, and Blake had lost her other part of the shell, so she could only use the single shard she had.

But still, she refused to give up.

She coaxed Weiss' free hand to the cut on her neck.

"Just apply pressure to it. It's not deep, but we've gotta slow the bleeding at the very least."

Weiss' eyelids fluttered, but she nodded.

Blake took solace in the fact that the girl could at least breathe a bit better now.

Blake then swam up to the net coiled in Weiss' hair. It'd surely be much easier to cut the hair itself, but Blake swore only to do that as a last resort.

As it turned out, she only needed to cut two sections of the net to free Weiss' hair and shoulders.

Blake's ears lifted as she hurried down to Weiss' tail and began cutting her free.

Perhaps she'd save her yet.

But Weiss' tail was caught in at least eight different places, and Blake could still smell blood in the water. She looked up to find the other mermaid holding onto the net with her free hand to support herself.

It was clear that Weiss was very severely weakened.

Blake focused on cutting faster.

She'd just freed the tip of Weiss' tail when she heard a scream.

" _B-Blake!_ "

Blake didn't need to ask in order to know what was happening.

It wasn't sharks, but probably even worse.

The net was being reeled up.

" _NO!_ "

Blake tugged furiously at the ropes, digging the shell into the string and yanking with all her might, cutting whatever she could now. Weiss let go of her wound to try and reach down and help Blake untangle her tail, but there were still a few spots where her scales had been snared.

Blake had to swim upward as Weiss was dragged along with the net. The mer-Faunus cut vigorously, her ears catching sounds of Weiss' choked voice.

"No..." she whimpered. "Mama... please, no..."

From just those words, Blake understood.

She'd heard the horrible story of a mermaid being taken by fishermen about fifteen years ago. To know that had been Weiss' _mother_...

She refused to let them take her, too.

"Hold on..." Blake huffed. "J-Just hold on, Weiss..."

They were nearing the surface now, but even all the cuts Blake had made in the net weren't helping them very much. She sliced another section of Weiss' tail free, but there was still one string looped around her stomach.

Blake swam up to start cutting it, but was thwarted. The net was suddenly lifted up higher and faster than the speed it'd been moving at until now. It was a forceful yank, and it cause Weiss' tail to knock into Blake's hand. She dropped the shell into the depths of the water.

"No!" Blake cried out, making an effort to swim after the tool, but quickly finding it to be futile.

She swam back up to Weiss and grabbed the string around her stomach, pulling as hard as she could. There was no way to unknot it, so Blake dove in with her teeth to bite, hoping her added weight would slow the fishermen down.

But there could've been thirty of them on board that boat for all she knew, and pulling up a couple of mermaids would be child's play for them, especially considering the solid boat beneath their feet; Blake and Weiss had nothing to anchor them in this open water, nothing to hold onto.

Except each other.

Blake abandoned the rope around Weiss' stomach and swam up to hug the girl's shoulders, turning her a bit and trying to swim with her against the pull of the net.

Weiss clung to her, trying to move her tail as well, despite her enervation, but the rope around her stomach simply wouldn't give, and it was impossible to slip out of.

They were pulled higher, and Blake could hear the mens' muffled voices now, just a few feet above them.

"No..." she whispered. "No, no, no..." She slid her grip from Weiss' shoulders down to her hands, interlocking their fingers and making an attempt to swim backward and pull the other girl free.

But Weiss had stopped struggling.

Her eyes looked down into Blake's, and the mer-Faunus saw tears running down her cheeks.

"Blake..."

She sounded so tired.

"Thank you, but... you... should go home..."

"No!" Blake screamed. "I _promised!_ "

She held stubbornly to Weiss' wrists, refusing to let go.

But Weiss shook her head.

"Don't let them... take us both..."

"No, Weiss! You're so close!"

Blake swam back up to her, wrapping her arms around Weiss, their stomachs pressing together as she splashed her tail. She could feel Weiss' heart pounding rapidly, thick with fear – Blake's was, too.

"Just pull! Swim with me!"

"I-I _can't_..." Weiss whispered. "I'm so tired..."

"Yes, you can!" Blake looked over the other girl's shoulder. Weiss' tail was a few feet from breaking the surface. "Come on!" she cried. "We can do this!"

She surged downward, yanking Weiss along with her, and the net actually gave an inch in their favor. Weiss was wounded and half-conscious, and Blake couldn't have blamed her if she decided to conserve her remaining strength for whatever outcome awaited her.

But she could feel Weiss' nails clinging into her back, felt the swirl of water in time with her tail as Weiss pulled and tried to swim with her, despite the awkward angle.

Blake swam with every shred of strength in her body, and she could feel that Weiss was doing the same now, too.

An agonizing moment passed as they struggled.

Then, Blake heard a splash as Weiss' tail breached the surface.

If a hand grabbed her now, it'd be all over.

But there was a loud thumping sound instead, and it took Blake a second to realize it wasn't just her heart thudding in her ears.

Weiss was slapping her tail against the side of the boat, using its support to push herself away from it. Blake pulled with her, fighting for dear life-

And the next thing she knew, she was shooting back down into the depths of the ocean, bubbles flying up in trails behind her.

The fact that she could still feel a rapid pulse over her own told her that Weiss was with her too, and when she opened her eyes, it was confirmed.

The net had snapped.

Blake was still trembling from the endeavor, but she'd kept her promise.

"We did it..." she wheezed.

Slowly, she eased her grip on Weiss and let her go.

The white-haired girl seemed as shocked as Blake felt, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"W-We... We really..." Weiss' voice was almost inaudible, and Blake quickly realized she'd gone limp. She grabbed the other mermaid swiftly, swimming down a bit to hold onto her arms.

"H-Hey, Weiss?!" She put one hand to the girl's collar and the other to her back to stop her from sinking. "Weiss? Hey..."

She could still feel the dull beat of Weiss' heart beneath her palm, but it was much slower now and seemed to fluctuate. There was still a trail of red streaming from her throat, and Blake knew she needed to be treated - and fast.

She quickly swam beneath Weiss, pulling the girl's hands up and around Blake's neck, holding onto Weiss' knuckles to ensure Blake didn't lose her. Weiss floated limply over her back as the mer-Faunus swam, carrying her down toward the Reef.

"Come on, Weiss. Don't give up..." she begged.

She followed a current toward the Coral, bound for the home she shared with Ruby and Yang. A glance back over her shoulder told her Weiss wasn't going to regain consciousness anytime soon.

In the distance, Blake could make out the shadowy shapes of creatures swimming toward the spot where she and Weiss had just been, beneath the boat. The side-to-side swaying of their tails told her they weren't dolphins.

She hurried onward at the top speed her body would allow after such an ordeal, and it was several minutes later when she reached the section of the Reef she called home.

The tunnel that dug into the coral was just big enough to allow both of them through as they were – Weiss wasn't very big, after all.

Blake carried her inside to safety at long last, never before having felt quite so relieved to be home. Ruby and Yang had taken her on many a harrowing adventure before, but never anything as perilous as this had been.

She swam Weiss through another tunnel until they reached Blake's own room. Her bed of sea grass had just been refreshed yesterday, so it was soft and full now.

Carefully, Blake unhooked Weiss' arms from around her neck and guided the girl to the bed, easing her down onto it until the weight of her tail kept her anchored down.

Weiss' neck was still bleeding a bit, and while sharks didn't fancy swimming through the tunnels of the Reef, it still wasn't the best idea to attract them nearby.

Blake left her momentarily and hurried down another tunnel, one that led to the wide opening of their main living area, where she and her adoptive family ate together every morning and evening.

There were several bushels of seaweed they kept growing in one corner, all with long, flowing green leaves that swayed slightly in the stiller inside waters. She inspected the different kinds briefly before finding the one she sought, tearing off a leaf and then hurrying back to Weiss.

The girl hadn't moved from the bed, and Blake quickly swam to her, turning her to lie on her back, exposing the wound on her throat. Blake rubbed the seaweed between her knuckles, until it started to ooze a thick substance.

She then pressed it over Weiss' neck; the goo the seaweed leaked was highly effective for closing up wounds, so long as it was applied for a proper amount of time.

Blake settled down onto the coral floor beside the carved-out bed, keeping her hand pressed to Weiss' neck to hold the seaweed in place.

Part of her wished Weiss was awake so Blake could speak to her more, and yet the other part of her was glad that she was resting.

Still, Blake had nothing else to do now but wait, and she could't help but let her eyes travel over her guest.

Despite the knots and tangles her white hair had sustained from the net, Blake could tell Weiss' hair was very fine and soft; when it was brushed thoroughly with a sea-shell comb, she imagined it was even more beautiful.

A few of the girl's scales were ruffled out of place, but Blake was thankful none of them had been torn off; a torn scale was often painful for the first few days afterward and typically took months to regrow.

She reached out toward Weiss with her free hand to gently smooth out her scales, taking great care in doing so.

Weiss' pulse was slow beneath her other hand, and Blake couldn't help but worry. The girl's chest was rising and falling very faintly, and Blake would've missed it if she hadn't been looking for it.

Her eyes traveled to Weiss' face, and even though she wasn't conscious she still looked so exhausted.

There were pink marks around her neck, shoulders, and stomach from where the net had dug against her skin, and Blake's ears flattened at the sight of them.

The girl's family must've been worried sick, and she didn't know how they might react if they were to see her returned home in such a condition.

But then again, at least she'd be returning home at all.

A few more minutes passed before Blake lifted the seaweed to peer underneath. The cut had stopped bleeding and the skin was beginning to heal with the help of the paste. Still, Blake held it there for another moment, just to be safe.

But just as she'd been about to withdraw her hand, her ears perked up at the sound of a small moan.

Weiss stirred beneath her touch and Blake recoiled, worried she might've hurt her somehow. She watched as Weiss' eyes blinked open, long lashes kissing the apples of her cheeks before revealing those alluring blue pools.

Blake kept her voice soft as she addressed her.

"Weiss? How are you feeling?"

The girl's gaze flicked to her, filling with recognition for Blake, but the room was foreign to her.

"Blake..." she rasped. "Where...?"

"Oh, I took you back home. To _my_ home," she explained. "This is my room. I think you should stay with us tonight, at least until you've recovered."

She saw the girl's brow furrow.

"But... Daddy will be so worried," she whispered. "I-I already lied to him. I told him I'd be going to the library, but instead I went for a swim on my own and th-that awful thing happened and I-"

"Hey, it's okay," Blake soothed.

Weiss had started to cry, understandably upset. The mer-Faunus rested one of her hands over Weiss' and squeezed gently to gain her attention.

"As soon as everyone comes back, I'll ask someone to swim a message over to your father, alright? We'll say you got tangled in a kelp forest, that the folks who helped you live in a different District, and that they took you back there. We don't have to tell him what really happened if you don't want to."

Weiss blinked at her, wiping an arm across her face.

"I-I don't want to," she whispered. "He already lost Mother like that. I can't... I can't let him know I almost..."

"I understand," Blake nodded. "But don't worry, okay? We'll have you rest here for the night. I'll explain things to my family."

Weiss inhaled softly before nodding once.

"Okay," she murmured. "And... Blake... I never... I never thanked you yet for saving me," she said, her voice already starting to wobble again. "It was... it was so awful... being trapped there so helplessly, not know what was going to happen... You saved my life..."

Weiss broke down into quiet tears again, burying her face in her hands.

Blake couldn't resist the urge to comfort her, and closed the few inches between them to wrap the girl in her arms.

"You don't need to thank me," she whispered. "I'm just glad you're safe now."

Absentmindedly, her fingers started stroking through Weiss' hair, and when she felt the girl relax in her embrace, Blake held her a little tighter.

But after a moment, she pulled back slightly, ears flattening in apology.

"Sorry. I just..."

"No," Weiss murmured. "It's alright. I just need to get my bearings..."

With Weiss' permission now, Blake re-engaged her embrace, easing her fingers through the little knots in those alabaster locks. She made a mental note to get it properly combed for her later.

But a familiar ruckus coming from beyond the Reef made her realize that would have to wait.

She could hear Ruby and Yang calling out her name excitedly as they swam toward home.

Blake released her hold on Weiss, coaxing her back down onto the bed.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Just let me explain everything to them."

Weiss nodded before closing her eyes, not looking like she would have been able to keep them open for much longer anyway.

Blake swam out through the tunnel back to the main room where Ruby and Yang had just entered.

"There you are!" Ruby squealed, swimming over to hug Blake tightly. "You missed it, ohmygosh this one dolphin _jumped_ out of the water while Yang was holding onto his dorsal fin and she actually managed to hold on the entire time it was so crazy!"

"It was a bit rough dropping back into the water, though," the blonde put in. "Did you rest up a bit while we were gone, Blake?"

The mer-Faunus flicked one ear sheepishly.

"Not exactly..."

She didn't tell them truthfully what had happened – she didn't want to worry them by confessing she too had almost been hauled up over the side of a human boat.

She stuck to the story she'd forged before, telling her sisters she had found Weiss tangled in a kelp forest. It was a believable tale as well, as the thick, compact plants could prove to be a great hassle to wrestle one's way out of, especially if they were already weakened from a long swim.

Ruby and Yang listened quietly, eyes wide with concern until Blake had told them she'd successfully managed to free Weiss.

"She's resting in my room now. I think she should stay the night, just until she regains some of her strength. She's really shaken up."

Yang and Ruby nodded in unison.

"Yeah," the blonde said. "I can't imagine how scary that must've been. I'm glad you both got out safely." She hooked and arm around Blake's shoulders in a partial hug.

Ruby swam forward to hug her stomach.

"I'll go get her some fruit, okay?"

The youngest one released Blake before swimming off.

Blake asked Yang to pass the story onto their parents once they came home, and requested they find someone who could swim over to deliver a message to the Middle District. The blonde agreed, and Ruby returned with a few fruits to give to Blake.

"We'll tell Mom and Dad," Yang reassured her. "So you just stay with her, alright? If you need anything, just call for us, got it?"

"Yeah. Thanks, you guys."

Fruit in hand, Blake swam back through the tunnel to her own room.

Weiss hadn't moved since she'd left her, and Blake settled on the floor beside the bed. Weiss' breathing was softer now, unplagued by fright or doubts, and Blake knew she was sleeping peacefully.

She curled her tail and got comfortable, reaching to one of the crevices of the coral where she kept a few of her scrolls. She opened one and began reading while there was still a bit of sunlight shining down, taking an occasional bite out of one of the fruits Ruby had given her.

It was a while later when she heard Ruby and Yang's voices again, muffled beyond the coral walls, but she could tell their parents must have returned home and the girls were explaining Blake's situation now.

Her adoptive parents were kind, caring mer-people, and Blake knew they would do everything they could to help.

Ruby called down the tunnel to her a few minutes later to inform Blake they had sent an envoy over to the next District to pass along the message of Weiss' story until it reached the Middle. Blake thanked her again and returned to her scroll.

Little holes in the coral wall made for windows, allowing streams of light to illuminate the room to guide her vision.

By the time the last of the sunlight had vanish and the duller glow of the moonlight had started drifting through the water, Blake was feeling the effects of the hectic day.

But Weiss stirred just as she put her scroll away, and Blake turned to give her full attention to the girl. She handed Weiss the other fruit and told her everything had been taken care of.

"So you can rest easy here tonight," Blake promised.

Weiss finished the last bit of the fruit before offering a small smile, the first she'd shown Blake so far.

"Thank you so much for all of this, Blake."

She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the mer-Faunus' cheek. Such was a common form of greeting and casual display of affection and gratitude amongst mer-folk, but Blake had never had it done to her before by people outside her adoptive family.

And for some reason, she felt Weiss' kiss was different from how anyone else's might've been.

Blake felt blood rush to her face, and the blush must have been visible in the pale lighting as well, because Weiss gave her a puzzled look and then abruptly leaned back.

"I beg your pardon," she said.

"Oh, not at all! It's fine," Blake said quickly. "It's just... that was my first one... outside of my family, that is."

Weiss was silent for a moment, a small "oh" passing over her lips.

"Was it alright?" she asked at last.

"Of course!"

"I'm glad then," Weiss smiled. "Because it was my first time kissing a stranger."

Blake's ears lifted slightly when she realized Weiss was blushing as well. The mer-Faunus chuckled softly.

"Well, then I'm glad it was with me." She hadn't thought at all before she'd spoken, and a palm flew to her mouth instantly. "I-I mean, um-"

"It's alright," Weiss chuckled, though she felt her own cheeks warming up, too. "I suppose you're not exactly a stranger anymore, Blake. But we've both had a long day."

"Y-Yeah..." Blake muttered. The awkward tide of water started to dissipate and roll away as she went on. "Anyway, you can just rest there."

Weiss frowned.

"But isn't this your bed?" she protested.

"It's fine. Just for tonight. I can't let you sleep on the floor."

Weiss' smile returned, her blue eyes shimmering with gratitude.

"How can I ever hope to repay you for your kindness today, Blake?"

Weiss leaned forward to kiss her other cheek, causing the mer-Faunus to blush once more.

"You don't have to repay me," Blake mumbled.

Though she wasn't complaining about the kisses.

She noticed Weiss' hair kept floating into her eyes, and the girl kept pushing it away. The mer-Faunus reached into the crevice near where she kept her scrolls and retrieved a comb-shell. She offered it to Weiss with a small smile.

"This should help."

Weiss humbly accepted the shell with another "thank you."

Blake watched as she removed her tiara for the moment, running one hand through her hair to pull it over her shoulder, then running the comb through it. She worked quickly but carefully, never displacing a single strand, her hair flowing together in little waves like a pure white current.

When she'd finished, she repositioned her tiara and handed the comb-shell back to its owner. Blake couldn't help but speak admiringly as she put the trinket away.

"Your hair is beautiful."

Weiss tilted her head.

"Funny. I was just about to say the same about yours."

"M-Mine?" Blake's ears swiveled, flattened, then perked up.

Weiss giggled.

"Why, of course! There's no one else in the room now, is there? Your hair's absolutely gorgeous. But I'm _truly_ smitten with your scales."

Blake was convinced she'd misheard that part.

"My... scales...?"

She'd never like their color. Ruby had always said they looked cool, and Yang would back her up, but Blake herself had never agreed with them. This was the first time in seventeen years a stranger had told her they liked her scales.

Weiss was smiling again.

"Yes," she said. "They're silver with a tinge of purple. Now I don't know about you, but _I've_ never seen such a beautiful combination of colors on scales before. It's really quite something. I'll admit I'm a bit jealous."

" _You?_ Jealous of _these?_ " Blake waved her tail, incredulous. "Have you _seen_ your own tail? That's got to be the prettiest blue in the ocean, second maybe only to your eyes-"

She cut herself off when she saw Weiss was blushing again.

Blake looked away quickly, feeling the increased and erratic beat of her heart, imagining Weiss' wasn't any different.

They'd been awake together in this room for perhaps a collective hour, and already Blake had blushed more times now than in her entire life thus far.

She'd never seen another mermaid like Weiss, so incomparably beautiful.

And for such a mermaid to compliment a mer-Faunus like Blake...

She couldn't believe it was real.

But she wasn't about to leave Weiss' compliments hanging.

"Thank you..." she murmured. "No one's... ever said they liked my scales before. Not like that."

And Weiss had been told of her own beauty countless times before, but never quite like how Blake had told her.

It was different somehow, made her heart flutter a little faster.

Weiss simply smiled again and dipped her head.

Another moment passed, and Blake picked up the seaweed that had drifted to the floor. She shifted a bit, her eyes finding Weiss', encouraging the girl to show her the wound on her neck. It was starting to close up, but Blake pressed the plant there for another minute just for good measure.

When she pulled it away, her eyes were drawn to the other red marks all over Weiss' pearly skin.

"Do those still hurt?" she wondered.

"A bit," Weiss murmured. "It stings a little." Her eyes went down to the long red coil around her stomach where the final rope had cut deeply into her skin.

Blake took the girl's wrists first and patted the seaweed down onto the marks there.

"This should help with the pain a bit. Just lay down."

Weiss did as she advised, and it was only a few seconds before she felt the effects of the plant. A coolness ran up her wrists where they had previously stung with heat, and she couldn't help but sigh.

Blake pressed the seaweed all up her arms and over her shoulders, rubbing gently beneath Weiss' throat where the marks were reddest.

Weiss closed her eyes and exhaled.

"It feels much better. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Blake moved the plant down Weiss' sides, over her ribs, and at last to her stomach and waist, tracing it over the imprint of the net.

The waters grew darker with the night, but it wasn't much longer before Blake realized Weiss had fallen asleep once more.

She put the seaweed bundle aside and shifted her tail into a more comfortable position.

Blake folded her arms on the edge of the jutting coral that made the space of the bed Weiss was sleeping on. The sea grass tickled her bare arms as she rested her head over them and closed her eyes.

The only sounds now were the occasional rush of far-off waves, and Weiss' soft breathing.

Blake didn't know what tomorrow had in store for them, but if it was a day she could greet together with Weiss, she was eager to find out.

* * *

 **A/N: Phew! I hope I could describe the underwater world well, and I hope the Districts weren't too confusing to imagine. AUs are hard to write since it's nowhere to be seen in artwork or in the show. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!**

 **You can support me on under the name  Kiria Alice if you like my writing! Link's on my profile!**

 **Please review!**


	2. Separation

**Thank you all for the reviews of chapter 1! I just pray I didn't get your hopes up too much and I hope you'll enjoy these chapters to the fullest as well.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2. Separation

When the next morning arrived, casting warm beams of light down into the depths of the ocean, Weiss woke first.

She was initially puzzled to find herself in a foreign room where the coral was dark purple, rather than the pale pinkish-white of her own. But when she noticed the slumbering mer-Faunus at her side, resting with just her head and arms touching the sea grass bed, all of the memories came flooding back to Weiss.

She put a hand to her neck, rubbing fingers along the cut and finding all pain absent now. The ache in her scales from being tangled and suspended by the net had all but faded with the good night's rest, and aside from a minor growling in her stomach, she felt oddly refreshed.

But this wasn't her room nor was it her native district of the Great Coral Reef, so she didn't feel comfortable with taking any course of action without permission.

So she waited as Blake continued to sleep, traveling her gaze over the other mermaid's luscious black hair, and then down to her captivating tail. The mix of grey and purple really was alluring to Weiss; each and every scale swirled with both colors, starting as a darker shade and gradually becoming lighter toward the ends. They were dusty and mystic, but very clean, and Weiss could see as much even more clearly now in the more favorable lighting.

With idle fingers, she reached out to gently pet through the girl's hair, being careful not to rouse her. Her nails moved slowly over the bases of Blake's ears, feeling the course, thick fur absorbing the warm light.

It wasn't much longer before Blake woke sleepily to find Weiss caressing her cheek. Clearly, the white-haired girl hadn't expected to get caught, and both mermaids jolted and scrambled back, flustered and apologetic.

But when the "I'm sorry!" was spoken simultaneously between the two, each couldn't help but chuckle and then laugh a little harder.

"How are you feeling?" Blake asked, her golden eyes already scanning Weiss for any signs of distress.

But the smaller mermaid's voice was much clearer when she spoke now than it had been yesterday.

"I feel wonderful, all things considered," Weiss reported. "I rested very well last night. And it's only because you took such great care of me. Did I ever properly thank you for saving my life?"

Before Blake could give an answer, Weiss leaned forward once again and kissed her cheek gently. The contact was warmer than any beam of sunlight, and Blake felt a very slight but happy rumble work its way into her chest. She couldn't help but smile, too focused on the faint contact of Weiss' lips on her skin to remember how to answer properly.

"I, um... I don't remember..." she said distractedly.

"Then I'll thank you as many times as I must," Weiss declared, her tone becoming a bit more serious now. "I owe you my life, Blake. If there's anything I can do to repay you, then please-"

"Weiss, it's fine. I don't need anything..." she murmured.

Weiss couldn't tell if she'd trailed off because she was embarrassed, or because she really did have something in mind she refused to say.

"Fine. Then if there's nothing you need... is there anything you _want?_ "

Blake's eyes found Weiss' once more, vibrant blue and entirely honest and willing to do whatever she could for her. Blake found herself getting lost in them, and her heart started to pound a little faster, the purr hitching in her throat.

"I... um-"

"Blake!"

A whisper of her name stopped her, derailing her train of thought; and perhaps that was for the better.

She uncurled her tail quickly as she broke her gaze away from Weiss', motioning with one hand for her guest not to worry and to stay put. Blake swam across the room to the tunnel carved into the coral where Ruby's whisper had come from. Blake replied in a normal tone to indicate neither she nor Weiss was still asleep.

"Good morning, Ruby," she called softly. Her voice echoed around the walls of the coral and was easily able to reach the young mermaid on the other side.

"How's everything?" Ruby asked. "Is your friend okay?"

Blake cast a questioning glance over her shoulder, just to ensure Weiss really was feeling alright. When the white-haired girl smiled and nodded, Blake gave an affirmative answer.

"Yes. She's feeling much better."

"That's good!" Ruby sang. "Come over whenever you're ready for breakfast! Mom and Dad picked a fresh batch of fruit from the gardens!"

"We'll be there soon," Blake said. She then looked back to Weiss. "You up for some breakfast?"

Weiss put a hand to her stomach, pleased to find the red marks had faded for the most part.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble to impose, then..."

"Of course it wouldn't."

Blake returned to her, picking up the seaweed from last night that had drifted away a little. She rubbed it gently over the underside of Weiss' neck, extracting the last bits of paste from it to sooth her injuries. She went around the girl's shoulders, then down to her stomach, and finally to her tail.

When she was finished and the seaweed was no longer of use, Blake went to a small window in the coral, a hole that led to open water, and dropped the crumpled plant out into the currents.

When she returned to Weiss, she was thanked with another kiss.

Weiss roused herself from Blake's bed, and the mer-Faunus watched her carefully to ensure she wasn't in any pain when she moved.

But when it was clear that Weiss was truly feeling better, she led the other mermaid down the tunnels. They veered left to lead them to the main room where the seaweed plants grew.

Blake's adoptive family was already gathered around a shell full of fruit, waiting for her.

There were greetings and introductions all around as the rest of them saw Weiss for the first time. The white-haired mermaid did her best to greet all of them properly, though she couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the faint marks on her skin.

However, it very quickly became apparent that none of them minded things like appearance. The main emotion in the water was concern for her, but Weiss could sense their curiosity as well.

So as she curled her tail up beside Blake and they began to eat, Weiss felt that explaining things to them was the least she could do after staying a night in their home and eating their food.

She stuck to the story Blake had suggested, how Weiss had gotten herself badly tangled in a kelp forest and Blake had come to her rescue. Thankfully, they all believed her story, and Weiss knew that would be the tale everyone else heard; the truth would be kept exclusively as hers and Blake's secret.

Weiss was introduced to Blake's adoptive parents, Summer and Tai, as well as her sisters Ruby and Yang. Weiss could tell right away that they were all very kind, expressive mer-folk, a bit different from Blake's somewhat quieter, almost taciturn nature.

But the mer-Faunus seemed to fit in perfectly, a softer voice perhaps, but one that was always heard and appreciated.

It was after they'd all finished eating when plans for the day were discussed. Weiss announced she was going to make the journey back home to the Middle District. Summer voiced her concerns about having Weiss travel alone in her condition, but Blake quickly spoke up and offered to escort her.

Naturally, Ruby and Yang decided to accompany them for fun.

When they were ready, Weiss thanked their parents before the four young mermaids headed out into open water.

Weiss led the way back, though Blake was sure to keep close to her.

The sisters, on the other hand, got distracted by almost everything they saw – a beautiful scallop shell, a rainbow fish, an octopus...

Blake had to constantly call back over her shoulder to them.

"Come on. Let's stay on track here, you guys."

Easier said than done. Ruby and Yang couldn't remember the last time they'd traveled as far as the Middle District, simply because they lacked reason to.

So the foreign sights captivated them, and Blake had to admit to herself she was also excited about the change in scenery.

As they swam, the coral started to turn lighter colors, signifying they'd successfully passed through three of the five Districts to the eastern side.

They paused around midday to rest, curling their tails atop the coral as the kind locals offered them some fruit for their travels. Ruby kept breaking off bits of her food and feeding it to every passing fish that came along, and Yang had to remind her to save some of it for herself as well.

"Ya don't have to feed the fish, Ruby. They've got an entire ocean to eat."

"I knooow!" Ruby whined. "But these are fishies I might never get to see again!"

Her words served to stop Blake mid-bite of her fruit. It finally seemed to hit her for the first time that she was bringing Weiss back home...

But then what?

Her ears flattened, and despite the food, her stomach suddenly felt hollow.

A gentle brush of fingers on her arm had her looking up.

"Are you alright, Blake?" Weiss asked, wearing a small frown. "You look upset suddenly."

Blake's tail swished a bit in embarrassment of getting caught. Her ears flicked, and she forced them back up as she took another bite of her food.

"No, I'm fine. Just thinking."

Weiss had half a mind to inquire further, as she knew they were clearly troubling thoughts. But she held her tongue for fear of prying into Blake's personal business.

The four of them finished their meal soon afterward and continued swimming. But as they passed through the final two Districts, Blake was wrestling with her inner thoughts, unsure of what she'd do or say when it came time to leave Weiss.

That time came upon her quicker than she was ready for it.

The coral had turned pale pink, almost white now, signifying they'd reached their destination.

When Ruby realized they'd made it, she did a few flips in the water and squealed.

"Holy mackerel! The water's _super_ clear here!"

"And there's lots more mer-folk, too!" Yang added. "This place is hoppin'!"

The two of them parted briefly from Weiss and Blake to greet a group of local mermaids who had swam up to say hello, asking them where they were from.

As the sisters handled that, Blake found her ears drooping once again as she followed Weiss close to the Reef. The white-haired girl turned to her with a smile on her face, her blue eyes sparkling like the surface of the sea on a summer day.

"Thank you so much for bringing me home, Blake," she said. "And for _everything_ ," she murmured a bit softer. This time, she was so bold as to wrap her arms around the mer-Faunus, small swishes of her tail keeping them both elevated in the open water for a moment.

Blake snapped out of her trance long enough to return the embrace, breathing in Weiss' scent of pearls and sunlight.

Blake knew she herself must've smelled of musky barnacles – it was a natural scent that clung to her skin simply due to how many years she'd lived in the outermost district.

But Weiss never recoiled or scrunched up her nose, nor did she pull away from the embrace excessively quickly. Weiss held it, just long enough.

However, Blake was feeling selfish, so she wrapped her arms around Weiss a little tighter, closing her eyes as she savored the last bit of warmth from her.

"I'm glad you're safe now," she murmured. "Take care, alright?"

Weiss tilted her head a little bit before pulling back, though her arms stayed looped around Blake's shoulders. Blake noticed the girl's smile was nowhere to be seen now.

"You're saying that as though this is goodbye forever," Weiss mumbled sadly. "Is that... what you want it to be?"

There was dismay in her eyes, along with a bit of pain - the pain of considering the prospect of losing a new friend she really liked so soon.

Blake felt immediately guilty about her own faulty assumptions.

"I-I mean... of course I don't want it to be like that," she said. "I know it might sound strange, but... I want to see you again, Weiss. Not just to make sure you're okay, but... just because I want to see you again. I don't... want this to be goodbye..."

Weiss felt her heart swell with joy upon hearing those words. So she hadn't just been a burden Blake had wanted to get rid of, after all.

"I'm so glad!" Weiss cried, hugging her again, this time with much more fervor.

Blake was taken aback, eyes flying wide open.

"W-Weiss?"

The white-haired mermaid explained herself.

"I'd thought... you were just taking me home to get rid of me... I know I caused you a lot of trouble."

Blake felt her ears perk tall in shock, and then her lips curved up into a small smile. Her arms found their way back to Weiss' waist and the small of her back, hugging her tighter than before.

"Of course not. You weren't any trouble, Weiss," she reminded her. "I was just... I thought you'd just wanted to get home, and you... wouldn't want to see me again..."

Weiss gasped softly, shaking her head over Blake's shoulder.

"That's not right at all! Of _course_ I want to see you again, Blake! And... I know you said I don't have to repay you, but if you're fine with seeing me again as well..." She trailed off, voice stolen by the current as the thumping of her heart increased against Blake's.

The mer-Faunus sighed into Weiss' streaming alabaster hair.

"I want to see you again, Weiss," she murmured. "If I could have _anything_ , it'd be that..."

Weiss squeezed her back, and Blake returned the favor.

"Then of course we can see each other again," she promised. "I don't have much to do every day. I'm not one for swimming with the dolphins very much."

"Neither am I," Blake admitted. "I love Ruby and Yang, but I don't have as much energy as they do."

"Then how about this?" Weiss pulled back from the hug smiling again, looking into Blake's eyes excitedly. "We can all meet up again tomorrow! I know the swim between our Districts is long, and it'd be too tiring to swim all the way back and forth every day. So let's all meet partway, around the Third East District. Does that sound alright?"

Blake's ears flicked merrily, her eyes lighting up.

"Yes, that sounds great! I'd love to," she smiled. "But only if you're feeling up for the swim. Make sure you take time to recover. That seaweed is great for healing the soreness, so if you have some-"

"I'll be fine, Blake," Weiss reassured her. Still, she found it very endearing how concerned Blake still was for her.

She was pulled into another embrace, a softer one this time, but warm all the same. Weiss found she fit perfectly in Blake's arms and rested her chin on the girl's shoulder.

"Take care getting home," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Blake."

"Yeah..." She nodded, her tail swishing happily beneath her as she held onto Weiss. "I'll see you tomorrow..."

She was finding it hard to believe this was real, that tomorrow was no longer something to dread. Rather, it was now going to be another day she'd be able to see Weiss.

She was already excited.

Their embrace lasted for a few more heartbeats until they parted, arms loosening grips.

"Thank you again, Blake," Weiss murmured. She leaned in for one last kiss to Blake's cheek.

But the mer-Faunus had turned her head as Weiss addressed her, wanting to see her eyes.

The small motion caused Weiss' aim to be thwarted by a few inches.

Her lips ended up bumping lightly against Blake's.

Weiss squeaked and recoiled, though she failed to break free of Blake's arms.

"I-I'm sorry!" she gasped. "I-I didn't..." She brought a hand to her mouth, face pink like the coral.

Blake felt a blush creeping across her own cheeks as well, her ears standing taller than ever.

"It... It's okay," she stammered. "It's fine... with me..." They hadn't know each other for long, but they certainly knew enough. Blake swallowed. "Is it... fine with you...?" she asked.

Weiss realized she'd started to sink a little in her shock and quickly got her tail working again, keeping herself elevated in front of Blake.

It was a heavy question, and yet she didn't have to think about her answer. She'd felt enough for herself.

"Yes..." she whispered. "It's fine with me, too."

Blake smiled - enthralled and elated - and Weiss reflected it sweetly. Her hands held onto the mer-Faunus' waist as she felt Blake's hands cupping either side of her face.

Weiss closed her eyes as their lips met again in a longer, firmer kiss.

Their hearts raced together for a moment before they pulled apart, tiny bubbles of soft laughter rising up between them and traveling to the surface.

Weiss was on cloud nine as she brushed her nose against Blake's, and it was clear that the feeling was mutual.

"I'll... see you tomorrow, Blake" she whispered.

"See you tomorrow."

At last, they released one another, letting the cool water of the currents replace the warmth of the other's body. There was a lingering feeling in their chests, like the ticklish prickles of little pufferfish.

Ruby and Yang had just finished chatting with the locals before swimming over to join up with Blake once more. They waved to Weiss and called goodbyes to her, and Weiss smiled and gave a joyous flick of her tail.

After seeing them off, she returned to her worried father and sister, but they were both relieved to find her unharmed.

She told them of the mer-folk who had helped her, told them how she planned to meet with them again tomorrow. Her father was grateful to them and wanted her to tell them as much, glad that Weiss had found friends in these mermaids.

Even Winter swam forward to hug her, admitting how worried she'd been. Weiss smiled as a few tears slipped down her cheeks before dissolving into the water; it had been years since her sister had last hugged her.

And as Blake traveled back home with her sisters at her sides, she told them of hers and Weiss' plans to meet again tomorrow. They were eager to come along as well, as Blake had assumed they'd be, but she was glad to share this with them.

By the time they returned home, it was nearly dusk beneath the waves, and after a brief meal, Blake wished her family goodnight and returned to her room.

Weiss' scent was still on the sea grass, and as Blake curled up on top of it, the smell of pearls and sunlight wreathed around her in its own intangible current.

That pleasant scent - combined with the warmth in her chest and the tingle on her lips - lulled her into a deep sleep that night.

Weiss was no different, glad to curl up in her own room once more, though she had to admit she already missed Blake's presence.

But the promise of tomorrow harbored many things, so for now they simply slept.

* * *

The following morning, Weiss woke early due to the bubbling excitement that had been popping in her stomach all night.

She ate quickly before kissing her father and sister goodbye and darting out to sea.

Blake was just as eager to get moving, if not more so.

She was typically roused by her rambunctious sisters who rose with the sun, but that morning Blake was the one who hovered anxiously in the main room as she waited for them to wake up and eat.

Once everyone was prepared, the separate parties swam toward one another for a few hours until they rendezvoused. Blake and Weiss instantly picked up their speed and met in an embrace so exuberant it left no room for questions.

But just in case that wasn't enough, they couldn't stop themselves from kissing each other softly, forgetting that Ruby and Yang were watching this time.

A little "Ooh!" from Ruby had them pulling away quickly and swimming back a pace, blushing red. But Yang draped an arm around her sister, ruffling her hair a bit as she laughed happily.

"Aw, c'mon, Ruby! You can't tell me this is comin' as a shock to you! You couldn't tell how Blake was acting different after we went home yesterday? She kept fidgeting all throughout dinner and was spacing out."

"Wh-What?" Blake stammered, her cheeks going even redder. "W... Was it really that obvious...?"

"Juuust a bit," Yang winked.

Blake's ears went flat as she hid her face in her hands, mumbling to herself. Weiss giggled softly and hugged her again.

"It's okay, Blake. I'm certain I was just as bad." She kissed lightly in between her Faunus ears. "Truth be told, I'm really quite smitten with you," she confessed.

Blake lifted her face with a small smile.

"The feeling's mutual."

The four of them spent the day playing together.

There were no passing dolphins to race today, but Ruby had limitless other ideas for how to pass the time together.

First, she and her sisters showed Weiss the ropes of "how to rescue little crabbies who got themselves flipped over".

After that, it was watching the fish in the corals, betting on which clown fish would dart into which anemone, or which butterfly fish would hide in which crevice.

Weiss actually ended up having a lot more fun with that than she'd initially expected. Every time she guessed right she laughed merrily, and every time she laughed merrily, Blake would get mesmerized by the lovely sound.

At least until Yang snapped her out of her trance with a nudge and a smug smirk.

"She's you're little angel fish, huh?" the blonde murmured.

Blake blushed madly, then lifted her tail up and smacked her sister on the rear.

Next, Ruby had them collect seaweed and bring it to her, threading it expertly into a tight ball. She and Yang stuck together to make a team, while Blake and Weiss composed the other pair.

They tossed the ball back and forth, sometimes with hands and sometimes with their tails. Naturally, Yang liked to show off with a few head-butts or other flashy twirls.

As the game went on and their laughter filled the water, it drew the attention of other teenagers – boys, girls, Faunus or not – and within an hour they had full-fledged teams competing.

When a powerful hit from Yang's strong tail burst the ball into pieces, they weren't deterred from their recreation. Several of the players got to work with Ruby in forming new balls of seaweed, and they soon continued the game with several, making things that much more exciting.

Blake and Weiss found it was much less stressful and much less awkward for their feelings to be known openly, rather than having to deliberately dodge one another whenever Ruby and Yang were around – which was just about always.

Every day after that was much the same.

The quartet of mermaids played ball with other mer-folk, but would sometimes break away to engage in hour-long activities involving just the four of them, like shell-hunting.

On that day, Weiss found a pitch-black shell in pristine condition and offered it to Blake shyly. It curved with two bumps at the top and ended in a narrow tip at the bottom, resembling a heart.

The mer-Faunus hugged and kissed Weiss in thanks, then used a strip of reed to tie the shell onto her hip. She secured the reed around several of her scales so it wouldn't loosen.

Blake soon chanced upon a white sea blossom with full petals all around - quite a rare find in these waters. She swam over to Weiss, tucking it behind her ear and kissing her temple affectionately.

After returning home that night, they each stowed their treasures away in their rooms for safekeeping.

Looking at that shell or that blossom kept the other one near, even when Blake and Weiss were alone.

. . .

A few days later, the four of them raced dolphins together for the first time, accompanied by several dozen other mer-folk.

Weiss hadn't raced them in years, but she was glad to find she could keep up quite nicely. Blake too, was pleased to find how easily she could matching their speed, sticking close to Weiss as they flitted between the dolphins, ducking beneath their tails and turning over to swim facing the surface.

Ruby and Yang were more experienced dolphin racers, and they were bold enough to jump up and break the water's surface with the animals.

The water was filled with merry laughter and the playful squeaking of the dolphins, the splashing of waves and the swishing of tails.

Motion. Energy. Life.

They swam for almost two hours that day before returning to the Reef, saying their goodbyes, and parting ways until tomorrow.

Their days were eventful and fun, and Blake and Weiss confessed to one another that they'd never experienced such enjoyment out of life until now. Their shyer, tentative kisses became much more frequent and loving as the days passed them by.

For a time, they enjoyed things peacefully, waking happily every morning and swimming home even happier every evening.

But dark waters were flowing in, and a few weeks later would find their affections strained beyond limits.

* * *

There weren't many events with set dates in the mer-folks' world.

Most pleasantries happened by the day, frequent joys and occurrences they could draw delight from often. It was in their nature to enjoy the "everyday".

But there were a few rarer occasions that instinct informed them of, events that only graced the oceans for a few days at a time.

Today was one of those days.

Humpback whales were beginning their migration into warmer waters, and the mer-folk loved to swim out and watch the great beasts from afar.

They stuck close to the Great Coral, usually resting on it while a handful would swim out into open water for a better view.

Some years, they could only see sights of massive shadows and bobbing tails. But others, they were blessed with seeing the gentle giants up close, and strikingly clearly.

All of the mer-folk who intended to go whale-watching woke earlier than usual that day.

Weiss and Winter waited in the main room of their home as their father swam out to the gardens with the other mer-folk. He brought back a harvest somewhat bigger than usual, so they could eat while watching the whales.

The three of them had made plans to view the spectacle with friends, and they gathered in an embrace before swimming out together, each holding a bit of fruit.

Weiss parted from her family and instantly started making for the Eastern Districts where she'd be meeting with Blake and the others.

Those three would have to travel farther today, as the whales often showed near the Western Districts. They'd gotten a head start with swimming this morning and met up with Weiss before long.

The white-haired mermaid couldn't help but hurry to them, embracing Blake first and kissing her quickly in excitement as Ruby and Yang circled around them.

Blake chuckled, flattered by Weiss' openness.

"Good morning," she managed once the kiss had ended.

"Good morning!" Weiss beamed. "I trust you all got a proper night's sleep? It's going to be a big day!"

"Literally!" Yang added. "I mean those whales are _huuuge!_ "

Ruby chuckled and bumped her hip against Yang's. Weiss rolled her eyes before pecking Blake's cheek.

"Have you three eaten?" she asked, scanning all of them.

"Yup!" Ruby replied with a salute. "We had a lot for breakfast cause it's a long swim!"

"Good," Weiss grunted, releasing Blake from her arms. "I'm sure there will be plenty to share once we get there."

Yang swished her tail, grinning eagerly.

"Well then, let's get goin'!"

"Yeah!" Ruby chimed in.

Weiss kept hold of Blake's hand as they continued on their way together. Blake could sense her girlfriend's excitement just as clearly as she could feel her own.

Blake had seen the whales before of course, but never with someone she could enjoy it with romantically. She too had had sea butterflies in her stomach all night and morning, and they hadn't fluttered away even now.

The quartet was accompanied by dozens of other mer-folk as they swam, and that group only grew in numbers as they continued further down the Reef.

There was chattering all about, the water bubbling with excitement. There was something different about the water today, as though it was expecting the whales, welcoming and ready for them to pass through.

The mer-folk settled along the top of the Reef all along the Western Districts, sharing food and news with their fellows.

Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Weiss all settled near somewhere in the Third Western District, not wanting to have to go any further than that, considering how long the swim home for Blake and the sisters would be.

The local mer-folk had plenty of fruit to share, and many of the travelers had brought their own as well. The four mermaids munched happily as they awaited what was to come.

The waters were thick and darker than normally, indication that a storm was brewing above, but that wouldn't stop the whales.

They waited for a little over an hour, simply socializing and chatting and playing together.

Ruby and Yang played games as they waited, counting fish and little ribbon eels as Ruby fed them bits of her fruit. Ruby found a comb-shell and brushed her hair with it before passing it to Yang so she could do the same.

Blake had an arm around Weiss' back as her girlfriend rested on her shoulder, dozing lightly. She contented herself with playing with the white-haired girl's tresses and planting kisses atop her head.

It wasn't much more of a wait after that.

Weiss was roused by the distant sounds of echoing songs. She straightened up to see that all of the mer-Faunus' ears were standing tall, directed toward the open sea.

"They're coming," Blake whispered in excitement.

A collective silence fell over the mer-folk as they all turned their gazes out to sea. The songs of the whales grew louder as they neared, and above that were the sounds of crashing waves high above.

A few moments later, the first of the whales came into sight, a distant mass of shadow soon followed by more. The water was filled with their songs, fluctuating notes of echoes as the creatures breached the surface before diving back down.

There were all sizes of them – calves, bulls, and mothers, all swimming together. Some ventured closer to the Reef than others, and the mer-folk could feel the shifting waters as they swam, sending waves of motion all around them.

The spectators were all in awe, humbled by the whales' mighty, majestic presences.

Weiss was breathless; no matter how many times she saw them, the humpbacks never ceased to amaze and enthrall her.

Blake was also captivated by them, and Ruby and Yang hadn't spoken a word in over five minutes, which might've been a feat just as rare as seeing the whales.

They were sure to savor every second of this, as they all knew it wouldn't last for long.

It was mere moments before the last giant tail faded into the distance, and all that remained were the quiet, unforgettable songs.

Gradually, the mer-folk broke the silence with incredulous whispers before their voices grew back to a normal volume.

Ruby was the first of their little group to speak up.

"That was so _coooool!_ "

Her sister nodded vigorously.

"I swear, they just get more impressive every year." She lifted her gaze up toward the surface, frowning when she noted that the sunlight was almost absent. "I think we should start heading back. Storm's comin'." She swam up from the coral and stretched her arms and tail, and Ruby followed shortly afterward.

However, Blake didn't join them.

"I think I'm gonna stay with Weiss for a while. Just for today," she decided.

Weiss smiled instantly.

"Yes! And don't worry, I'll have her stay with me tonight if the storm gets too bad."

Yang seemed to be satisfied with that.

"Alright. Start swimmin' back soon just to be safe."

"We will," Blake assured her.

She and Weiss swam up to the sisters. Ruby hugged each of them in turn as she wished them temporary goodbye, while Yang simply pulled both of them to her at once, kissing the tops of their heads.

Once she'd released them, the two pairs of girls waved at one another as they parted. The rest of the mer-folk who had gathered for the whale-watching were also beginning to disperse now, swimming off back in the directions of their respective homes.

But Blake wouldn't have to swim all the way home this evening, only as far as the Middle District where she'd spend the night with Weiss.

"I'm up for a swim if you are," she suggested.

Weiss smiled brightly.

"I'd love to."

She looped her arm around Blake's, and together they started swimming out into open water, their tails working in time and finding a familiar chemistry to move them forward.

Normally, they would avoid the open sea, but with poor weather above there would be no boats posing a threat. And with a pod of whales not far off, sharks wouldn't be any trouble down below.

So they enjoyed the cool waters together, swimming merrily side-by-side, circling one another in a dance. Blake rolled over to swim on her back, pulling Weiss down on top of her and simply drifting for a time. Weiss hugged her shoulders, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips and giggling softly.

Blake did the swimming for a moment as Weiss rested, but the white-haired girl soon flipped them over and held onto Blake, reversing their positions. The mer-Faunus relaxed against her smaller form, her cheek resting on Weiss' pure-white shells, an ear pressing to her collar to listen to her heart thumping quietly. It was a calming rhythm, and she got lost in it all too easily, drifting off into a light sleep.

Weiss didn't wake her, but simply continued to swim as she looked up at the surface. The waters were swirling grey now, indicating the condition of the sky, and the surface seemed to tremble from heavy raindrops.

There were few fish present swimming around them, and Weiss carefully turned herself around to change course, intending to head back for the Reef.

But Blake's weight was proving to be a bit much for her, and Weiss felt her muscles straining.

The pulse beneath Blake's ear started pounding harder, and she was soon roused by Weiss' struggle, quickly pulling away from her to alleviate pressure from the girl.

"Sorry!" she gasped. "Are you okay, Weiss?"

"I'm fine!" she panted, lifting herself up to kiss Blake's nose. "It was a good workout!"

Blake's concerned expression melted into another smile. She leaned in to kiss Weiss' cheek.

"Come on. Let's head back."

Hand-in-hand, they started off the way they had come.

There was silence in the water, save from the swishing of their tails and a light patter of rain from high above.

It was when they started hearing the rumbles of angry thunder when they shared a frightened glance and picked up the pace.

The Reef wasn't in sight yet, and Weiss was already tired from supporting Blake for so long. Likewise, the mer-Faunus was exhausted after the long swim to watch the whales, and she couldn't afford to carry Weiss back.

They came to a silent agreement to just push on until they reached the Coral; once there, they could ask a local family of mer-folk if they could spend the night, or simply take their time returning to the Middle District.

But they never even caught sight of the Reef again.

Strong currents had been stirred up by the storm overhead, and a sudden powerful rush of water sent the two of them tumbling backward dozens of yards, carried by the sheer strength of the tide.

Blake battled against the push of the dark water, barely managing to grab Weiss' hand and keep her close. Their hair tangled around their shoulders as they struggled to best the current together, panting with effort.

Exhausted as they were, adrenaline kicked in and pumped quickly through their veins, making their blood burn. It was a desperate struggle that might've been doomed from the start, but they persisted.

A break in the current gave some leeway, and they hurried as much as they could before it picked up again.

Another particularly strong rush hit them head-on, and they lost hold of one another.

Blake's ears rang as harsh water slammed against them, but she forced her eyes open when she realized Weiss was gone. Her vision was better in these darker waters than Weiss' was, and Blake knew it was up to her to find her first.

Thankfully, she wasn't far off, and Blake hurried to her side, putting a hand to her back to hold her up.

"Weiss! Are you okay?"

Weiss looked up at her swiftly, and she breathed a small sigh of relief. But her eyes instantly refilled with dread, her voice chopped and panicked.

"I-I'm fine, but..."

The mermaid lifted a hand to her chest.

Blake looked down, instantly taking note of Weiss' bare collar.

Her voice was thin.

"Your mother's necklace..."

Weiss had tears in her eyes already, and Blake could only hug her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I-"

She cut off suddenly when a small flash of white caught her eye. It was the white pearls Weiss' necklace, being stolen away by the stormy waters.

Blake knew she'd never see it again. This was her only chance.

She pulled back from Weiss and swam after it, never tearing her gaze from the jewelry as she called back to her girlfriend.

"Stay in calmer water!"

Weiss looked up worriedly when she realized what was happening. She could see her necklace being carried toward the surface by the disturbed water.

And Blake was pelting after it.

"No!" Weiss cried. "Don't-! Blake, _come back!_ " she screamed.

They both knew the waters were only more dangerous closer to the surface.

But Blake was _so_ close; she couldn't stop now.

The waters were pushing her further and further away from Weiss, but Blake rode the current, twisting like a porpoise as she reached for the precious necklace. She could hear Weiss' cries for her to come back, but that familiar voice was soon torn away, shredded between the sounds of the furious ocean.

Tumultuous waves broke and crashed just a few yards above her head now, and she could feel every impact, every shockwave reverberating through the water as they smashed down.

But still, Blake hadn't lost sight of the necklace – Weiss' treasure. She refused to give up until she was certain this was absolutely impossible.

Another rush of water sent her forward, but her hand missed the trinket by inches. Blake angled herself and brushed the tip of her tail against the pearls, scooping it closer toward herself until at last-

Her fingers closed around the necklace, gentle and soft despite the sheer ferocity of the raging storm all around her.

But now she faced an even greater challenge.

She had no idea how far she'd swam, how far from the Reef she was, or how far from Weiss. Most terrifying of all was that she had no way to tell whether Weiss was alright or if she'd been swept away in the turbulent waters.

Blake cursed at herself for ever leaving her side, but she had faith Weiss would be alright until she got back to her.

Blake kept a tight grip on the necklace as she lifted her tail. She tied the string of the jewelry around the thinnest part of her tail, just beneath her fins so it couldn't slide off. The string was taut and secure, catching beneath her scales to ensure it didn't slip.

Satisfied with her work, Blake started swimming once more, pushing with all her might to swim back toward Weiss. The waves overhead sounded louder than before, and Blake glanced up through the dark water and gasped.

She was much closer to the surface than she'd thought she was.

Desperately, she made an attempt to dive downward, but another rush of water thwarted her, flipping her over backward and shoving her higher up.

Discombobulated, Blake's ears swiveled as she tried to determine which way was up, but every sound was painfully loud, enough to disorient her. Her body curled as she chose a direction and tried to swim, unable to tell which direction it was.

But more water pushed her farther and farther back, and she was soon suspended, entirely helpless. She could feel the violent tug of the undertow now, sucking her up higher and higher toward the surface of writhing waves.

Blake screamed as she felt the current pummel her relentlessly, knocking the breath from her lungs. She spiraled beneath the tumbles of the waves, her tail breaking the surface momentarily only to be forced back under by another wave.

Her heart felt like it might burst form her chest, and she couldn't even keep her eyes open any longer. She was trapped in a constant push and pull of raging water.

Her entire body was thrown from the ocean this time, and seconds later, she crashed painfully back down through the surface, stunned and numb as the heaving waves carried her farther and farther from home.

Blake moaned, her eyes fluttering open weakly to try and find her tail, the only bit of relief being from seeing the pearls still there.

But another crash of water blinded her, flinging her into the air once more, her tail useless to help her.

She couldn't fight anymore.

Blake let the waters take her, forced to accept every assault of each wave crushing her, tossing her about like a plaything.

She decided to let the waves take her into unknown waters; at least when the storm passed, she could find someplace to rest and hopefully find a course to home.

If she survived the storm, that was.

She couldn't even be certain if she was breathing or not anymore. She couldn't feel her own body nor did she have a shred of control over it. The water wouldn't even allow her to open her eyes.

More raw air flew at her as she breached the surface again, harsh rain pelting down on her before the waves swallowed her once more.

Minutes of torture passed her by with agonizing slowness despite the chaos surrounding her, and she had to wonder if it would ever end.

Little did she knew this was only the beginning of her torment.

For almost fifteen prolonged minutes, she remained conscious as the process repeated itself endlessly.

But even then, Blake wasn't spared a second without pain.

The next wave carried her high up, and Blake managed to open her eyes above-water. The seas and skies were dark and angry, but that wasn't the most unsettling part any longer.

Not far off, Blake could make out land, pale beaches leading into shallow water, dozens of human houses not far beyond that. The wave took her down, plunging Blake deep into the depths before the undertow dragged her back up.

The waves were taking her directly to shore.

Panic flared within her even more than the pain now, but she could do nothing to help herself anymore.

Again and again she was pulled up out of the water and slammed back down, each wave bringing her closer to shore. Blake whimpered, begging hopelessly for help that would never come.

And still her torment wasn't over.

There was a long strip of land leading out into the ocean, every inch of which was lined with rocks.

The waves took her there first.

Blake was crushed against the hard boulders, a much more solid, crippling agony than the pressure of the water. It was all she could do to curl up in an effort to protect her head, but her back and shoulders cut easily against the sharp edges.

Limply, but still conscious to feel the pain, she rolled down the rocks, dropping back into the water only to meet with the boulders once more seconds later. Her scales scraped painfully against them, and Blake cried out repeatedly, feeling warm blood on her back for an instant before the water took her again.

Three more times she hit the rocks, and Blake was certain every bone in her body must have been broken. When the water yanked her back under, she could taste sand in her mouth, telling her she'd been brought into the shallows.

And then one final wave.

It carried her high and reached far along the beach, dropping her down onto solid ground, sand spraying up all around her. The water dragged at her tail as it receded, and for the first time since she'd swam off, Blake was still.

The world was still spiraling around her, her body numb.

And yet, dull pulses of pain still throbbed all throughout her veins, making them boil, surging with torrid ache.

Blake panted for breath, but the oxygen here was raw and unfiltered by water. Her lungs burned as she spat sand from her mouth, chest heaving shallowly. She could only managed to lift her head enough to glance over her shoulder.

There was blood smeared along her back, and her tail was matted, several scales having been ripped off by the rocks.

But she could just make out the pearls on her fins.

Blake tried to move her tail, but it didn't budge. She feared it was paralyzed.

If that was the case, she'd never be able to swim again, even if she made it back to the water by some miracle.

But she knew that wasn't going to happen.

The tide had washed her far up the deserted beach, the distance between her and the shoreline now about the length of a full-grown whale.

Night shrouded her as the rain continued to fall; she had to savor the water it provided, knowing she'd need it. Without water, a mermaid's skin would shrivel and crack until they dried up and perished from dehydration and insufficient oxygen levels. Without water to fill her lungs, every breath was ragged, like swallowing tiny pebbles.

She could only pray the rain would last into the next day; if she survived that long, at least poor weather would keep humans off the beach.

When _they_ eventually discovered her, Blake hoped she'd have been long-since dead.

Blake was forced to lie there on her stomach, feeling the rain wash the blood off her back. There were cuts all along her arms, but the pain was _feeling_ and that was better than numbness.

She pushed herself up, coughing away more sand, eyes still trained on her tail.

The tide was still sending waves up onto the sand. The beach was level, so she had no hopes of rolling herself down back to the water.

But every few moments, a wave would come up to slip water beneath her tail, leaving the sand wet for a few heartbeats. She tried moving her tail again, and this time it twitched.

Blake's ears perked slightly as she focused on moving her tail, her fingers fighting for a grip in the sand.

With effort, she swished her fins from side to side, trying to clear away a patch of sand. She pushed herself with her arms, sliding down along her belly to try and get closer to the water. The moon was overhead, and she knew the tides wouldn't reach this high up for long.

Blake worked past the soreness in her arms, ignoring when every muscle in her body screamed for her to stop. If the pain didn't kill her, keeping still would.

She felt the water touch her fins again, but she had to stop shortly afterward to rest. Her breath came hard, and she reached out with both hands to cup rainwater in her palms, gulping down a measly mouthful. It soothed her lungs for only a second before the next breath brought more scratching dryness.

The rain would hydrate her skin as long as it was falling, but she couldn't be certain how long that would be for.

She had to keep trying to reach the water.

For several moments, she struggled, writhing and thrashing her body from side to side as she tried to push herself toward the water.

The tide touched her tail one last time, but never again.

Blake felt her heart seize, lifting herself to look over her shoulder once more.

The water was receding, and her tail had sunk down into the sand. When she moved it, more sand piled up around her fins; the more she pushed, the more she was trapping herself.

She was too exhausted, in too much pain to move her arms any more. There was no hope of using her hands to dig herself out of the sand. She would have to wait until the next high tide tomorrow night if she wanted the sand washed away, and Blake didn't think she would last that long.

She tried stretching her tail toward herself instead, fingers outstretched toward her fins.

More straining, more agony, and she stopped again, wheezing for breath until at last her nails grabbed the necklace. She untied the string before bringing the precious pearls up to her face and collapsing back into the sand.

If there was anything beneficial to come from all this, it was the realization that her tears were much more liberating on land.

The ocean waters didn't dissolve them here, and they ran all down her cheeks and neck alongside the raindrops before seeping into the sand.

Blake's vision blurred in and out of focus, trained on the pearls.

They smelled like Weiss.

Blake imagined she could feel her lover beside her now, waking her from a bad dream to embrace her softly, chasing away the pain.

She welcomed the illusion as her head dropped down into the sand, clutching the trinket to her neck, those pearls that always rested just above Weiss' heartbeat...

She'd just listened to that wonderful rhythm an hour or so ago, and Blake imagined she could still hear it now.

It felt like Weiss was right beside her...

In the end, lying to herself was what brought the greatest comfort.

Darkness dragged at her conscious like the tide, and before very much longer, she succumbed to a silent realm.

She couldn't be certain she'd ever wake.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed(?) this chapter as much as people seemed to enjoy the first one.**

 **If you like my work, please support me on as Kiria Alice.**

 **Please review!**


	3. Reunion

**Thank you all for reading this far! Time to see how or if Weiss can get to Blake.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3. Reunion

" _Blake! Blake, no!_ "

Weiss could only continue to scream helplessly as she was forced to watch her lover tear off through the water after her beloved necklace.

Up until just a few weeks ago, that necklace _had_ been her most precious treasure.

But since she'd met Blake, it had dropped to second place.

Weiss would admittedly give up the heirloom pearls if it meant Blake would come back to her.

But as the thrashing waves continued to heave and smash above her in a violent rage, that possibility was seeming less and less likely with every terrified heartbeat.

She did her best to swim toward Blake, twisting her body every which way to try and cut through the devastating currents, but to no avail. Blake was being carried farther and farther away by the second.

Weiss shrieked out her name again, just as the underwater storm swallowed Blake whole. There was one last wave of her tail fins-

-and then nothing.

Weiss couldn't see her anymore in the dark waters.

Her voice rose up in a flurry of bubbles only to be shredded by the angry waters surrounding her, and her lungs were burning painfully with her screams.

But she couldn't stop trying.

She could feel the stinging tears trickling down her cheeks, lasting only for a second before the powerful waters washed them away.

Again, Weiss tried to swim after her lover, tried to follow the same current that had taken her away, but she wasn't even that lucky.

Weiss was met head-on by another push of water, one that sent her spiraling backward, head over tail. She could barely make sense of things anymore; her muscles were aching badly, and her bones felt too heavy to swim with.

But still, she needed to _try_.

She forced her tail to move, gasping as another tsunami-like swirl of water stole the contents of her lungs.

There was only so much more she could take...

After a few more hits like that, Weiss felt the ocean slip away from her, the waters turning black. Bubbles tumbled helplessly from her mouth, mangled by cruel waters before they could ever have hopes of reaching the surface.

Blake's name slipped through her lips one last time before Weiss was forced to relinquish her grasp on her conscious.

* * *

When she next woke, Weiss couldn't make much sense of anything.

She'd been drifting limply through the waters, which were a bit clearer now, but undoubtedly foreign. It smelled like fish and salt, nothing like the clean scents of shells and sea grass that was present around the Great Coral Reef.

Her stomach was throbbing painfully after being mercilessly pounded by the waves, but the storm had stopped raging. It made her wonder how long she'd been unconscious, how long she'd been floating...

...how far she was from home and from Blake.

But the Reef was something she'd be able to find if she was calm enough to focus and rely on her instincts; and she knew that wouldn't happen until she had Blake back at her side.

The possibilities of attaining that reality seemed terribly low.

Blake could be _anywhere_.

The ocean was wide and more or less endless, and Weiss wasn't even sure how far she was from the location where they'd originally been dragged in by the storm and separated.

A glance up to the surface informed her it was still nighttime, but she couldn't discern for how long she'd been unconscious; possibly a few minutes, possibly a few hours. She couldn't be certain.

She felt horrible, terrified, and awful thoughts plagued her mind. Images of Blake being beaten by the vicious waters resurfaced in her mind, how she'd been tossed around like a floundering newborn seahorse with no strands of sea grass to hold onto.

After all of that... finding Blake was going to be next to impossible.

But... she had to _try_.

Weiss knew she wouldn't be returning to the Reef without her, so if she was unsuccessful in her search, she was as good as dead.

She _needed_ to see Blake again.

It wasn't an option.

A few swishes of her tail got her moving again, slowly, but it was better than simply drifting.

But she soon encountered her first dilemma; she hadn't the slightest clue of which way to go.

Weiss looked around herself in all directions, finding that she was in open water with no distinct landmarks around her.

A quick swim downward didn't find her meeting beds of sand and soft sea grass like it would've back home, but instead she now faced a deep, bottomless chasm. There were stories of terrifying creatures that dwelled in such depths, and it was impossible to see through those shadows. An eerily frigid water rose up to meet her, and Weiss froze in place as a shudder ran up her spine.

She quickly made for warmer currents, swimming higher until she could see better once again. Unfortunately, her ability to make a decision of which direction to head in hadn't improved at all.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the shaking that ran through her entire body. Every beat of her heart was fearful, and she knew that would only attract unwanted attention in this unknown territory.

She tried to focus on thoughts of Blake, letting her instinct guide her to where it thought best.

There was an intangible tug trying to pull her in a certain direction, but Weiss could distinguish that it was the path that would take her home, and she didn't want that – not yet. If she ventured home, she'd be too exhausted to return to searching for Blake, and she knew other mer-folk who tried to look for her would need Weiss' guidance to do it.

All in all, going home now would prove to be a fruitless endeavor.

So she ignored that pull, waiting for a different one...

It took a few minutes, and during that time, Weiss only allowed herself to think of Blake, her heart and mind focused solely on her missing girlfriend.

When she reopened her eyes, she chose a direction and began swimming with a renewed conviction.

The moon cast silver beams cutting through the waters, stretching down as deep as she swam. The waters shimmered like the scaled bellies of thousands of shining fish, only the mermaid was completely alone here. Weiss had never swam alone and night before, let alone in unknown waters and so terribly far from home.

And yet, the fear that clutched at her heart wasn't enough to hinder her in her search; her love for Blake overpowered all else.

She needed to find her or die trying, and the latter possibility didn't seem so unlikely.

For a long while, all she could see was endless grey water stretching out on all sides, the visibility only lasting for several dolphin-lengths or so before fading into shadows. Every strange, swaying shadow made her jolt and swim a bit faster.

There was a bit of relief when she made out the first school of fish she'd seen since the storm, but smaller prey usually meant bigger predators. She continued on her way hastily.

She must have swam for an hour, every hypnotic swish of her tail sending little shockwaves of pain up her spine.

The previously almost undetectable weight of her necklace felt all too heavy now that it was gone, but nothing weighed heavier on her heart more than the awful loneliness.

She was all alone out here, and by no means safe. But for all she knew, Blake could be _much_ worse off.

That was when the worser thoughts started sinking in.

What if her lover had been carried across the sea? Or what if Blake had returned to the Reef thinking that Weiss had gone there, and Weiss was just getting herself lost? What if whatever was leading Weiss onward now was just a figment of her discombobulated imagination?

The mermaid shook her head, realizing she was becoming unfocused on the present task. She wanted to believe whatever was making her swim now had some form of credibility behind it.

Hunger was clawing at her stomach, but she refused to stop until she absolutely had to.

Soon, she could make out a ragged shape in the distance, a large shadowed structure of sorts. As she drew nearer, she recognized it as a coral reef. It was fairly small, but could still provide a resting place for her, just for a moment.

And yet, as she swam closer, Weiss could see the telltale black-and-white striped patterns on serpentine bodies. Sea snakes – one of the most poisonous things in the ocean.

Immediately, she turned tail and was forced to continue her unforgiving journey without rest.

She swam until the moonlight had turned to dim sunlight. Another glance upward told her that the skies were grey, allowing minimal light to guide her, but it was enough. There seemed to be a light drizzle tapping on the surface as well, but not anything like last night's downpour.

Even so, her vision was shifting in and out of focus, and Weiss wasn't sure how much longer she could go on for. She'd already pushed over her limit hours ago, and was now moving almost mechanically. Her senses were becoming increasingly less perceptive, her vision duller, and a collective numbness was beginning to settle in.

She hadn't eaten since the whale-watching so many hours ago, and her stomach was hollow and growling. But when she reminded herself of what kind of peril Blake could be in right now, Weiss simply couldn't allow herself to stop, not for a second. She'd never be able to eat anyway in knowing Blake was lost and alone somewhere, and probably just as scared as Weiss herself was, if not more so.

A sudden nudge against her tail had her gasping loudly, snapping back into focus as she twisted and jerked around.

She almost wished she hadn't.

Just a few feet away from her swam a large shark.

Its lazy black eyes stared straight at her, jagged teeth jutting out of its mouth.

Weiss knew instantly by the black stripes on its hide that it was a tiger shark, less aggressive than a bull shark, but more than a great white. A single bite would kill her, be it instantly or several agonizing moments of bleeding out.

She was frozen where she swam - petrified. She'd never encountered a shark so closely before where there was no place for herself to seek protection or shelter.

This was entirely different from watching them swim by from the safety of her room.

She needed to be smart about this.

Weiss wasn't like Yang – she didn't go around punching the beasts in the snouts for sport. Yang was probably almost as big as a tiger shark, but Weiss wasn't.

She hovered in the water, knowing it would be suicide to make a break and try to swim away. Had she been in a better condition, she probably could have managed it. But given her severe fatigue and aching body now...

She might be able to get in a few smacks of her tail, but that was all.

The shark started to circle her a bit, and Weiss moved to keep her eyes on it. If it made a move to strike, she'd at least have to _try_ to escape, but until then she wouldn't budge.

She tried to push down the fear and draw up the level-headedness her father often praised her for. She'd read plenty about sharks in the scrolls of the library, which was why she could put such knowledge to use now.

If it had wanted to bite her, it would've done so with her tail earlier, but it had only nudged her. She could tell by the remoras clinging to the shark's underbelly that it had recently fed, else those fish wouldn't be picking off remnants of the kill.

This shark didn't intend to eat her, and so long as she didn't make a wrong move and aggravate it, it wouldn't strike.

She felt its nose bump against her back this time, sending her forward a little bit, but again there were no teeth. It was simply curious about her.

Mer-folk were skilled in avoiding sharks near the Reef, so it was safe to assume that this one had likely never seen a mermaid before.

Weiss watched as it swam a little lower, inching closer toward her tail. Experimentally, it nipped at her scales.

Weiss held back a yelp as the teeth pierced a few of them, but the beast didn't tear. It withdrew quickly, clearly dissatisfied by the taste.

It circled her a few more times, and Weiss held her breath.

A moment later, it swam off as quietly as it had come.

Weiss told herself that she'd single-handedly dissuaded this particular shark from ever trying to eat a mer-person ever again.

But it had left behind an excruciating pain halfway up her tail. When she inspected it, Weiss discovered that some of her pristine scales had been chipped. At the very least, there was no blood.

She'd have to count her blessings and move forward.

* * *

Another hour passed her by.

Weiss found herself in clearer waters with more fish swimming about, but there was still no sign of Blake.

Weiss had encountered several more sharks since the first, but thankfully they'd all been far enough away for her to avoid.

She'd grown more or less used to the aches and pains in her body by now. But she was terribly hungry, her thoughts taking her back to her last meal yesterday, curled up happily at Blake's side as they'd watched the whales...

After all she'd been through since then, a single day ago felt like eons.

Aside from the period of time when she'd been unconscious from the storm, Weiss hadn't rested for a second in her laborious search for Blake.

A thought tugged at the back of her mind like the net that had snared her weeks ago. It was a reminder of reality, of the fact that she was wearing herself thin, even though the chances of finding Blake were so slim they were just about non-existent.

Weiss was slowly killing herself, but she swore she'd meet that fate before she gave up on her lover.

Several hours of the morning had passed by, but still the sunlight was dim, stifled by grey clouds. The lack of sufficient lighting only served to make her drearier by the second.

She'd thanked the tiger shark in her mind several times, simply because its presence had shocked her into wakefulness. But now she could hardly keep her eyes open.

A distant splashing rang faintly in her ears, and Weiss paused again, trying to pinpoint the source. Upon reopening her eyes, she could see a mass of multiple shapes coming toward her from afar.

She was about to dive down in hopes of avoiding whatever it was, but a familiar clicking sound caused her to stay put.

It was only a pod of dolphins.

Weiss continued swimming, drawing closer to the mammals with every wave of her tail.

But there was something odd about their calls. It wasn't the usual playful chattering she'd always heard dolphins communicate through before.

There seemed to be a hint of distress to their clicks, but it wasn't something to warrant fear in Weiss. They weren't being pursued by anything, but they didn't seem to be enjoying themselves either.

She couldn't make sense of what might be amiss, but she didn't have the time or energy to spare on them.

However, it soon became apparent that the dolphins had a set destination in mind: Weiss.

Within minutes, the pod had reached her, slick grey bodies circling around her, above her, below her – _everywhere_. Weiss' eyes went wide with confusion; she couldn't understand what was happening.

But she could feel them nudging her gently, as though by means of support.

Weiss soon understood.

They were guiding her somewhere.

Perhaps they intended to take her back to her own kind, but they were still clicking fretfully.

 _No,_ Weiss thought. _They haven't just found me and are taking me home. They've found something else..._

Hope flared in her belly as she reached out to take hold of a fin. A smaller dolphin swam beside her, letting Weiss rest her tail on his back as the pod swam with her. They were bringing her in the same direction she'd been going in, only their assistance allowed her to travel much quicker than Weiss ever could have managed on her own.

She could feel the shift in water pressure, realizing they were leading her to a shallow area.

Their chattering grew more frequent, and Weiss felt them swimming toward the surface. She recoiled, but one of them pushed her arm with its nose, encouraging her upward.

Hesitantly, Weiss broke away from the dolphins supporting her and swam up to the surface on her own. She breached for the first time in months – she'd only ever done so in the past for fun in places there was certain to be no ships or other forms of danger.

The air was cold and the sky dark, reminders of the horrible storm that had passed over last night. The waves were rather large here, and Weiss needed to look around quickly as she hoped to avoid them.

She wasn't sure what she should be looking for, but it soon became quite apparent.

Land stretched out only about a mile away, tall trees with a human civilization undoubtedly not far off. There was a long strip of rocks cutting out into the water, and the ocean ended at a pale beach, littered with debris and wreckage from the storm.

Weiss couldn't understand why she'd been taken here. She scoured her surroundings for a moment before an oncoming wave approached. She dove back beneath the surface to avoid it before going back up, her eyes scanning the beach.

For a moment, she could only spot driftwood and other smaller shapes.

But then, something bigger caught her eye.

She could just barely make out a shape in the sand, discerning even from here it was much larger than any fish. She hoped a dolphin hadn't been stranded there.

But as Weiss squinted harder, her heart instantly slammed to a halt.

Grey-and-purple hues made themselves apparent in the dull sunlight.

Her voice came out for the first time in hours, choked and thin.

"Blake..."

Another wave rushed at her, and Weiss ducked back underneath, feeling the pull of the waves drag her closer toward the beach. She looked to the dolphins that surrounded her, watching her anxiously.

"Thank you..." she murmured.

She wasn't sure if they would understand, but she liked to believe they had. With nothing more they could do, the animals swam off together.

A new power fueled Weiss as she powered through the water toward the beach.

From what she'd seen, Blake had been beached far up the shore, likely deposited by a wave in last night's horrible storm.

It was Weiss' intent to ride a wave that would take her just as far.

She broke the surface again, finding herself much closer to the beach now. But she needed to be careful; if she chose a weak wave, it would only carry her a short distance to the shore.

It was tiring to dodge the rolling waves she didn't want, each undertow dragging her back out a little farther.

She was close enough to see Blake's ears now, though Weiss' stomach twisted sickeningly when she realized her lover hadn't moved at all since she'd found her.

But Weiss soon realized there was something else just as devastating.

Blake was much higher up on the beach than Weiss had initially thought. The night tide must have carried her, but the tide now would only take Weiss half that distance if she was lucky.

But even so, she wasn't about to be deterred. Not by anything.

Weiss kept her head above-water, aligning herself with Blake's position on the shore to the best of her abilities. She filled her lungs before screaming out her name.

" _Blake!"_

The mer-Faunus didn't stir, and Weiss bit her trembling lip. But the water was moving beneath her, and it wouldn't wait. When she looked over her shoulder, she could see a massive wave forming.

It was now or never.

. . .

. .

. . .

Blake knew she must've been dreaming.

The rain had stopped hours ago, leaving her skin dry and shriveling, peeling flakes into the sand around her. She could feel her scales starting to crumple, shredding the dry layers in a vain effort to preserve what little moisture remained underneath.

The pearls were clutched close to her heart, which had slowed significantly since she'd been stranded. Every breath was one she could feel that brought her closer to an acrid, premature death.

The life was being sucked out of her along with the water, and she'd almost wished for a day of beating, sweltering sun just to get it over with faster.

But _this_... this was sheer torment.

At least the weather was poor enough to stave off the humans.

But now she was hallucinating. She could hear Weiss' voice, and it was awfully convincing.

Blake moaned weakly, refusing to open her eyes; every time she'd done so until now had only found her waking to reality.

She'd much rather die living in a dream...

The crashing of the waves had become an insistent sound ringing in her drooping ears. She'd grown so subconsciously used to it that she hardly even recognized it anymore.

Another one crashed.

Then another.

And another...

" _Blake...!"_

It sounded so real.

Blake couldn't afford to keep crying like she was; sand already lined her lungs, and every tear was precious water lost.

But the voice sounded again.

"Blake-"

This time it was cut short by a bout of heaving coughs.

Blake found it too strange to be a dream that time.

It was all she could do to force herself onto her elbows, blinking her eyes open past the crusty sand that had previously sealed them closed. She looked over her shoulder, down the stretch of sand leading to the waterline.

For a split second, she felt she could breathe again.

It was unimaginable relief.

And then horror.

"W-Weiss...?" Her voice tumbled out, broken and rasping.

Weiss was there – undoubtedly there on that beach with her now.

Stranded.

She didn't know whether to cry out in joy or scream in dismay.

The waves were still lapping at her lover's tail, but Weiss wasn't going back into the water – not until she had Blake with her.

The white-haired mermaid was winded from the fall of the wave letting her down onto the shore, but the instant she heard Blake's voice, she looked up ahead.

She was still alive.

A rush of emotion flowed over Weiss, more powerful than any wave.

But even from here, she could see that Blake had wedged herself in a pile of sand, her tail unable to move. She was battered and bruised, faint trails of blood lining her spine and shoulders.

Weiss could see her golden eyes, weary and dull. Blake had clearly given up hope of survival until just now.

Weiss slapped her tail against the wet sand, pushing herself forward, using her hands to drag herself over the uneven ground.

"Blake!" she gasped. "B-Blake... I'm here..." The dry air stung her throat, instantly making her chest ache, but she continued to cry out to her. "I'm-! I'm going to... to get you home!"

Blake whimpered, feeling more tears drip down her cheeks. Weiss had come all this way to her, even when she was clearly so enervated.

Initially, part of Blake had wanted to shout at her girlfriend to go back into the water, but she knew Weiss wouldn't leave her - not now.

And Blake didn't want her to, either.

She was so sacred.

Her voice cracked, rising up in a wail of distress:

"I don't... want to die..."

Weiss' heart shattered to pieces. But her voice was determined as she shouted back to Blake:

"You won't! I won't... let you-!"

Again, she pushed at the sand with her tail, dragging herself forward inch by inch. Her body screeched in pain, but Weiss swallowed the screams; she couldn't afford to lose to the aching now.

Not when she'd come this far.

Not when she'd _found Blake_ against all odds.. _._

She was still so far away, but Weiss wouldn't stop.

She pushed forward again, and she could see Blake was trying to wiggle free as well, hissing in pain as she did so. Weiss yelped and called out to her again.

"No! Blake, d-don't move! I-I'll need you to... conserve your energy... for when I reach you..." She had a plan, but she'd need Blake's help if it was going to work.

The mer-Faunus nodded, dropping her head back into the sand. It was bad enough that she had to listen to Weiss' struggle as she moved up the beach – she didn't want to have to see it, too.

But she _needed_ to see Weiss; Blake was aware this very well might be the last time she ever did.

So she re-opened her eyes as she looked toward her lover.

Weiss dug her nails into the sand, until her fingers sunk in up to her knuckles. She continued her desperate endeavor, utilizing the muscles in her tail to propel her another inch forward every time.

Painstaking moments passed, and Blake could only watch her. She was hopeless to stop her own tears, a mixture of distraught and relief and fear.

She could tell Weiss was crying too, for similar reasons.

Blake had been dropped onto the beach by a wave, but Weiss had to _crawl_ all the way up and then back down, and she'd already journeyed for so many miles on the open ocean on an empty stomach to get here.

They were both past their limits, and yet refused to give in until their dying breaths.

And it was clear now – if they were to breathe those, they'd at least do so together.

Weiss persevered, minutes upon minutes passing as she felt the last of the sea water evaporate from her skin and hair. She could only imagine how damaged Blake's skin must have been by now, after hours without water.

Weiss was halfway to her now, and after every push, she needed to stop to catch her breath before trying again.

Blake watched her dizzily, needing to close her eyes often to prevent headache.

It felt like a lifetime before Weiss' fingers finally brushed the tips of Blake's fins.

The white-haired mermaid pushed herself up, feeling her shoulders screech with pain as she did so. Using her hands, she dug Blake's tail out of the pile of sand that had wedged her in, scooping away as many handfuls as she could.

Blake felt her tail come loose and pushed her palms into the sand. Her body slid down accordingly. She struggled until she was right beside her lover.

" _Weiss_..." Blake rasped.

She reached up, the pearl necklace looping around her wrist and sliding down her arm as she pulled the girl in to her. Weiss collapsed softly onto Blake's chest, her arms finding their way around her dry shoulders and squeezing gently.

" _Blake_..."

Blake kept whispering into her ear, kissing her neck, her cheek, her scar, her hair – anywhere and everywhere she could. Her body was still numb save from the faint flicker of warmth in her chest that Weiss had relit.

Weiss kissed the mer-Faunus' chest, then up her chin to pause at her lips. They were both already worryingly short on breath, and a kiss could steal essential energy. She settled for kissing the bridge of Blake's nose before hugging her once more, tucking her face into the dark-haired girl's shoulder.

Blake clung to her, weak with relief. Weiss' weight was next to nothing on top of her, and she felt it even easier to breathe now.

Weiss' skin was still cool from the water, a pleasant contrast to the cracking dryness of her own skin.

But Weiss knew they couldn't waste any more time.

She pulled away from Blake, murmuring again that she loved her and kissing her nose.

"We're going home now," she huffed matter-of-factly.

Blake let out a withering breath, eyes tired as they met Weiss'.

"How...?"

Weiss had already had plenty of time to think through that. She could either hold onto Blake's tail and drag her back toward the sea, or hold onto Blake's shoulders and push her. Weiss decided on the latter option, simply because it would result in Blake reaching the water first.

"I'll push you," she said. "You can use your tail... to pull yourself toward the water."

Weiss had already made a trail in the sand on her way up, providing a path for Blake to follow; it'd be much easier than having to make a new path altogether, that was for certain.

Blake met her eyes and nodded despite the all-encompassing fatigue.

Weiss leaned down to press another kiss to her forehead.

"We're going to make it," she whispered. "I promise."

Blake nodded, managing to kiss Weiss' cheek in return before she pulled away.

Resolved, the white-haired mermaid shifted herself, helping Blake roll over onto her stomach. Blake winced as she swished her tail from side to side slowly, clearing away excess sand in her path.

Weiss held onto her shoulders, using her own tail to surge forward, pushing Blake toward the water.

It was still so far...

They got into a routine of sorts.

Weiss would rasp a count to three, and then the two of them would pour their strength into moving as much as possible, and then they would pause for breath.

Weiss' nails curled into Blake's shoulders as she pushed, and she wheezed countless apologies as she felt her lover's dried skin cracking beneath. Her nails left behind little crescents of blood, and Weiss bowed her head to the other girl's, kissing her between the ears in apology.

They moved inch by inch, but it took almost a full hour to cover half the distance to the water.

They were both simply too exhausted to move any faster.

Before much longer, the clouds started to break, and hot sunlight streamed through.

Weiss tilted her chin up to the sky in dismay.

"No..." she wheezed.

Her eyes went back down to Blake.

Her lover was clearly far past her limit now. Very far. If the sun was coming out now, there was no way Blake would survive until the tides came tonight.

Weiss counted again, giving the mer-Faunus another shove and pushing her a few more inches toward the water's edge.

But Blake couldn't move her tail any longer.

Weiss pushed her shoulders again, but Blake didn't budge.

Weiss whimpered, lying down to brush their cheeks together.

"Blake...?"

Two golden orbs flashed back at her, but they were dull, almost lifeless.

"Weiss..." she rasped. "I'm sorry. I can't... _I can't_..."

And suddenly, the white-haired girl knew Blake's pain when Weiss had given up fighting back when she'd been trapped by the net.

Weiss herself had given up as she'd been dragged toward the boat, just as Blake had given up now.

Weiss choked on her next arid breath, and she hugged Blake weakly.

"Okay..." she whispered. "Okay, Blake... You just- just rest. I'll get us there. I'll... get you home..."

Blake shook her head.

"Weiss... you should go back... you can't move me, too..."

"No!" Weiss snapped, dipping her head to kiss Blake's cheek. "I won't leave you."

Both of their lives were in Weiss' hands now.

She held onto Blake's shoulders and continued her debilitating struggle against the sand, swiping her tail behind her. It was much more difficult to move them now that Blake couldn't spare the energy to help herself, but Weiss managed to move them forward, bit by bit.

She could hear the seagulls crying out overhead and cursed them. Weiss didn't doubt they would be willing to peck at a mermaid's tail.

"Scram, you... filthy scavengers," she growled.

A few of them landed, darting over to peck at her tail as she'd feared. She swatted them away and pushed once more through the sand, shifting Blake ever closer to the tantalizing water.

It wasn't much farther now, but Weiss could barely lift her arms anymore. She was moving them less and less each time, needing longer breaks in between bursts of strength.

The birds had gone to Blake's tail now, but the mer-Faunus was too weak to fend them off. Weiss shouted at them, but promptly doubled over in another bout of hacking coughs shortly afterward.

She pushed Blake again, and the gulls hopped away, keeping a few feet of distance as they waited. Weiss _refused_ to be bird food and die like this, nor would she let Blake.

Her lover had been quiet and still for some time now.

Worriedly, Weiss turned Blake over a bit to glimpse her face, dry white hair spilling over her own shoulders and pooling in the sand.

"B-Blake..." she panted meekly. "Blake...?"

But the mer-Faunus didn't open her eyes or even make a sound.

Weiss reached out, pressing fingers to the side of her neck. She couldn't find a pulse.

"Blake?!" she shrieked. "Blake, _Blake?!_ " Weiss nuzzled into the side of her lover's neck, hugging her softly, feeling the tears already slipping down her cheeks. "No, no, _please_..."

Weiss gave another almighty shove, and Blake's tail slid through the sand. Her fins were just brushing the wet grains now, where the waves were just barely touching.

Weiss pushed again and again, with all of her might.

Her arms gave out on her several times, but she didn't stop – she wouldn't, even if she ended up breaking her bones.

Weiss was sobbing breathlessly as she heaved Blake's weight again and again toward the water.

"Stay with me..." she begged. "Blake, _please_... we're almost there..."

The mer-Faunus was deadweight, and Weiss' smaller body was at its final breaking point.

But when she checked Blake's tail, she found it had reached the water. Weiss grit her teeth and pushed again.

"Hang on, Blake. Just... a few more minutes. _Please_..."

The feeling of cool water on her shriveling tail combined with Weiss' voice had done the trick. A small sound escaped Blake's lips, so small Weiss almost missed it past the rushing of the water.

"Blake?" She cupped the girl's face gently in her hands, rubbing her thumbs over the girl's cheeks.

Another moan, and Blake's brow furrowed. The breath that left her lips was painful to listen to, and Weiss dipped her head to cover the girl's lips with her own, pushing air into her aching lungs.

Blake gasped, whimpering as her lover pulled away. Weiss' skin was also flaking now, her breath coming short and feeble.

But there was a fierce determination in her eyes – the determination to _live_.

Blake wanted nothing more.

"Sorry..." she moaned. "I just-"

"Shh..." Weiss hushed her. "I know. You... you've been through so much. I'm glad you rested for a bit." She blinked away more tears that had swelled up for fear her lover had been dead. Weiss crumpled, nuzzling into Blake's shoulder again. "I'm... just so glad you're alive..." she gasped.

Blake wrapped her arms around the mermaid's neck loosely.

"Me, too."

Weiss kissed her cheek again before pulling away, her eyes now set behind Blake.

"You're... almost there."

Her words caused Blake to look over her shoulder. She hadn't even realized her tail had touched the water. She looked back to the beach, up the long stretch of sand where they'd traveled from.

"Weiss..." she mumbled. "You got us... all this way?"

Weiss let out a sigh.

"Somehow..." She offered a tiny smile. "Now then... let's go home."

Blake slid her hands down to find her lover's.

"Yeah."

Weiss waited for a wave to come to them, so it could loosen some of the sand beneath Blake. She counted down again before pushing Blake's shoulders. The mer-Faunus thrashed her tail, sending a spray of water up over the both of them.

It gave them the last bit of strength they needed.

Blake slipped a little further into the water as more waves rushed up to meet her. Cool water soon submerged her fins and graced her broken scales, soothing the pain just a bit. Her ears lifted in anticipation, forcing her muscles to move once more as she felt her girlfriend push her again.

Weiss' labored breathing filled her ears even louder than the tide, and the mermaid was almost hyperventilating as she shoved Blake further into the water. It was shallow, but Blake could feel liquid reaching as far up as her stomach now.

Weiss was still crying, and Blake could only imagine her pain. She spoke up softly by means of encouragement.

"It's... okay, Weiss..." she murmured. "You're doing so great. Almost there..."

Weiss bent down to kiss her head appreciatively.

Another wave, another shove.

Then, Blake felt her lower half being pulled into the water.

With a push of her palms against the sand, the next wave broke over her head, showering her in vital water. Blake gulped in a mouthful of the sacred elixir, feeling it rush down her parched throat and fill her dried lungs.

Weiss felt a light spray of it as well, but it would likely be a few more moments of torment before she'd reach the water fully herself.

With one final push to Blake's shoulders, the mer-Faunus was up to her neck in water.

"Go..." Weiss rasped. "I'll be... right behind you..."

"Weiss-"

Blake tried to grab for her hands, unwilling to leave her even for a second.

But the next wave crashed over her and dragged her out until she felt the sand fall away from her stomach. When she next opened her eyes, she was underwater once more.

She gasped in mouthfuls of water, the coolness of it making her wounds sting, but she'd welcome that over the stifling numbness of sunlight any day. A few coughs expelled sand from her system, until only the welcomed seawater remained.

She made an effort to swim back to the surface, but it was heaving with powerful waves that she had no hopes of besting in her current condition.

She lingered as close to the shore as possible without risking being tossed back up by the waves, waiting for Weiss.

On shore, the white-haired mermaid felt relief like never before once she saw Blake finally dive under the surface. Weiss collapsed shortly afterward, her cheek colliding with wet sand as she heaved for breath that refused to come.

She'd just rest for a moment...

...

No.

She'd been away from Blake long enough.

Weiss reopened her eyes, swishing her tail in the sand once more as she reached out for a grip, hauling herself forward. A thin layer of water tickled her fingers, and she wailed in desperation.

Blake was waiting for her.

Again and again she dragged herself forward, until the water splashed into her face. She swallowed a needy mouthful before slipping in.

At long last, the waves lifted her body out of the sand and pulled her out into the ocean. Her eyes fell shut as she let the currents take her below, a meek voice slipping past pale, trembling lips.

"Blake..."

The mer-Faunus heard her voice just as she saw Weiss drifting in the water at long last. She'd been getting excessively concerned, but now swam over to her lover as quickly as she could.

"Weiss-!"

Blake reached out, catching the other mermaid in her arms. She swam into deeper waters with her, until she could no longer feel the waves surging above them.

Blake's eyes scanned her girlfriend, finding little bubbles leaving her lips. Blake rubbed a hand over Weiss' collar to help her breathe, holding a long kiss to her mouth and sharing water with her.

"Weiss... we made it," she whispered. "Open your eyes."

She dropped her head to Weiss' chest, pressing an ear to her fluttering heartbeat.

Blake kissed her a few more times until Weiss heaved a gasp, convulsing in her arms. Blake hugged her tightly, hands roaming through her hair and down to the small of her back.

The crushing hug was the first thing they welcomed in a long while, and Weiss returned it full-force.

For a long moment, they clung to one another and trembled, whimpering words of love and gratitude. Blake didn't release Weiss for a long while as she sobbed her confessions.

"I... I thought I was going to die..." she whispered. "It was so awful. I never thought I'd see you again..."

Weiss pulled back slightly to pepper soft kisses all over her face, hushing her.

"I thought the same..." she whispered. "But if we hadn't been meant to find one another, we wouldn't have. And here we are, so..."

She trailed off as the mer-Faunus kissed her shoulder.

Eventually, their lips found their way to the other's, and they held one another a moment longer.

When they parted, Blake recalled the tiny weight around her elbow where she carried Weiss' pearls.

She coaxed Weiss back a bit as she slid the necklace off of herself and back around Weiss' neck.

She heard Weiss gasp; it was clear that her love and concern for Blake had been great enough to make Weiss forget all about even something as precious as the necklace.

Blake brushed alabaster locks aside and secured the fishing wire at the nape of the girl's neck, tying the knot as many times as she could to ensure its sturdiness. When she'd finished, she dipped her head to kiss the pearls, just above Weiss' heart.

Weiss couldn't help but embrace her again and kiss her with a surprising passion.

Then, at long last, they began the journey home, guided by instinct and never for a second letting go of the other's hand.

They swam slowly due to their injuries, each telling her own side of the story in turn.

Alone, an injured mermaid might have been at risk of danger, but with two of them together it was much less likely.

They didn't rush, but they didn't exactly take their time either. The two swam at a pace somewhere in between, frequently pausing for rest, one supporting the other until she could catch her breath.

After all they had been through, it seemed the fates believed it only fair to give them a safe journey home.

Before long, they found a small coral reef, and after inspecting it for several minutes, found that none of the inhabitants were dangerous. Weiss curled her aching tail onto the hard surface and pulled Blake down beside her to rest.

There was a patch of seaweed nearby, and Weiss reached for a few blades of green, pulling them free. Blake took one from her, and together they started wrapping the plants around their hands, squeezing out the nutritious paste and rubbing it over their partner's wounds.

Blake located the shark bite Weiss had sustained, noticing where a few of her scales had been sticking out awkwardly, and massaged them for her gently.

Weiss had much more to tend to.

Blake's back was covered in cuts, and though most had started to heal up, they could easily be reopened if Blake were to move the wrong way. Weiss took great care as she rubbed the healing plant over the gashes along her shoulder blades.

She then went to the tops of Blake's shoulders, where Weiss had dug her own nails into her girlfriend's flesh in the process of pushing her through the sand. She kissed the marks she herself had left behind, murmuring apologies.

Blake simply wrapped an arm around her and kissed her hair.

Finally, Weiss rubbed over Blake's missing scales, soothing the aching emptiness left in their places; it would take several weeks for them to regrow, and until then Blake would feel tiny, sharp pains in those places.

The two mermaids went through almost the entire batch of seaweed before they were satisfied with their partner's wounds being coated in the clear, creamy substance.

Their first meal in so many hours was the remaining seaweed, which was about as satisfying as it sounded, but they didn't have any other options. The limp blades of the plant were hard to chew and even harder to swallow, and the aftertaste horrid, but it was better than nothing.

They kissed afterward to displace the awful taste, mumbling about how much fruit they planned to eat when they got home.

A moment of quiet discussion brought them to an agreement of staying on the coral for a while to regain their strength. They didn't know how long it would be before they found another resting spot, _if_ they found one at all.

So they did their best to curl up on the uneven surface, lying on their sides, arms wrapped gently around one another, their entwined tails keeping them anchored down even amidst the swaying water.

Blake had napped with Weiss in her arms many times before, but none had ever brought her as much satisfaction as this time. All of the soreness, all of the aching, and most of the fear dissipated in Weiss' presence, her familiar scent filling Blake's lungs along with the cool water. She brushed her fingers through Weiss' flowing tresses, caressing her cheeks, through her hair, and all the way down to the small of her back.

Weiss clung to Blake's back, careful not to dig her nails in for fear of accidentally reopening the wounds. She rubbed her palms in little circles over Blake's skin, thankful to find it was now smooth and fully rehydrated. She rested her head on Blake's chest, listening to every wonderful breath she took, the slow thump of her heart filling Weiss' ears in a pleasant, steady rhythm.

And Blake could feel Weiss' too, a very soft pulse resonating just below her ribcage as they pressed together, breathing in unison.

They slept for the remainder of the day, for several hours. When they did wake, it was with a new vigor, their muscles somewhat rejuvenated by the healing oils of the plants.

Swimming at night could be dangerous, but so could resting in foreign waters when it was dark. Blake's eyesight was sharper than Weiss', and she led them through the darkness, never once letting go of her lover's hand.

They were both following the same little tug of instinct that was urging them home, back to the Reef.

During the night, they swam a little closer to the surface, simply to keep close to the moonlight. They spoke quietly to pass the time, all the while keeping hold of the other's hands.

It was a long night of swallowing down fear and uncertainty. When the anxieties grew too much for them, they would pause briefly to share an embrace and a kiss, murmuring words of encouragement before continuing on.

It wasn't until the sun had risen again when they finally caught sight of the Great Coral Reef.

They were at the West End District, and even from afar they could hear the distant voices of other mer-folk. Word of Blake's and Weiss' disappearance had spread along the Reef by now, and even a day later they were still being searched for.

The first mer-Faunus that noticed their approach called for assistance, and within seconds a group had swam out to them, supporting the injured girls as they swam them back to the Reef.

From there, the pair were carried back through the Districts to the Middle one, where their worried families rushed to embrace them.

Ruby started crying first, and though she did her best not to, Yang followed shortly afterward. Their emotions brought on Blake's and Weiss' feelings too, as well as their parents'.

Weiss felt herself being turned around at one point as Winter hugged her, a contact they hadn't shared in so many years.

Their respective parents took turns hugging them as well, thanking the sea gods to finally have their daughters back safely.

The tearful reunion was brought inside the coral as Weiss' father invited everyone to their main room. They all settled there to listen to the two girls' stories.

As they spoke, they didn't leave one another's side, keeping close and leaving nothing of their relationship to the imagination.

Yang sat on Blake's other side, helping Summer rub more cream onto her battered back. Ruby clung to Weiss like a remora, and Winter sat just beside her.

They fetched fruit for Weiss and Blake to eat, and eventually both families shared a large meal in celebration for their return.

Somewhere along the lines, the glances and kisses Weiss and Blake kept sharing were becoming apparent to their parents.

Weiss' father told Ruby and Yang's parents about extra rooms carved out in the surrounding coral and invited them all to stay the night.

Humbly, they accepted the offer.

Summer and Tai each kissed Blake lovingly on the head before swimming off through the tunnel of their makeshift room. Weiss' father did the same for her, and their sisters followed shortly afterward.

Winter retreated to her own room, and Ruby and Yang took a spare one together.

Blake followed Weiss back to hers, settling on the floor with her for a while. She reached for the comb-shell and removed Weiss' tiara before beginning to brush her hair that had become knotted throughout their endeavor.

Weiss let out a bubbling sigh, leaning back against her girlfriend's chest.

Once Blake had finished with her hair, she wrapped her arms around her lover's stomach, holding her close. She leaned forward to press kisses atop Weiss' shoulders, nuzzling her nose into the girl's hair and the side of her neck.

Weiss turned her face and tilted her chin to kiss her cheek in return.

There were several moments of comfortable silence between them until Weiss felt compelled to speak softly.

"You know..." she murmured. "At first I thought... maybe this wouldn't work out. Because we met the way we did, and fell in love so suddenly. I thought maybe... we were just fooling ourselves," she admitted.

Guilt swirled in her stomach, but Blake's gentle hands caressed her skin with care, urging Weiss to go on. "But after all of this... after everything we've been through... I _know_ it's not just a mistake. This is real, Blake." She turned around in her lover's arms, boring her crystal-blue gaze directly into gold. "I love you."

For a moment, Blake could only respond by squeezing her tightly, her hands shaking a bit, trying to find her voice and speak around the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I love you, too," she whispered at last. "I love you, Weiss..."

They may have known it all along, but it was still nice to say aloud, and even nicer to hear.

Weiss cupped the girl's cheeks before kissing her softly.

"You know..." she murmured. "I think it could be nice to have you and your family stay with us."

Blake felt a tingle of excitement go through her chest.

"A-Actually, these past few weeks, my parents had been talking about maybe moving..."

"Then this is perfect," Weiss said, kissing her again. "I'll speak to Daddy and we can officially have you as our new neighbors."

"I'd like that," Blake sighed. "I'd like that a lot. I think we all would."

"As do I."

They kissed again before Weiss slipped out of her arms, moving behind Blake instead to brush her hair for her.

Once she'd finished, a little yawn from the mer-Faunus made Weiss remember her own exhaustion.

Taking Blake's hand, she swam over to the sea grass bed with her, where there was just room enough for them both.

Blake laid down beside her and kissed her again.

Familiar scents reached their noses – sunshine and pearls, fresh seaweed and shells.

Weiss massaged the girl's shoulders lightly as Blake traced her palm over her lover's stomach. She then dipped her head to kiss Weiss' pearls before nuzzling into her neck. Her Faunus ear pressed to Weiss' collar, seeking the familiar heartbeat Blake had been missing for so long now.

Soft as it was, it filled her ears. Even when the rushing of the waters outside subsided for a moment, that pulse remained – persistent and steady – and she couldn't help pressing closer.

Weiss slipped her arms around Blake and kissed her temple.

"I love you, Blake," she breathed.

Weiss felt a small kiss being placed on her chest.

"I love you, Weiss."

The perilous trials they had faced in their short amount of time together had tested their affections beyond limits that should have torn them apart.

And yet here they were, wrapped happily in one another's arms, warm and with more reason to live than ever before.

If that wasn't love, then no such thing ever existed.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading until the end! I'll set this story as complete for now, but I might add another chapter later on, so keep your eyes open!**

 **If you like my work, please support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


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